Development of Non-Pt Electrocatalysts towards Hydrogen Evolution Reaction for Gas-phase Br_2-H_2 Flow Battery

摘要

A gas-phase HBr/Br_2 flow battery is setup. The equilibrium cell potential of the flow battery is calculated by Nernst equation incorporated with Br_2-HBr-H_2O phase equilibrium in Aspen OLI lab. The calculated equilibrium cell potential is compared with the experimental open circuit voltage. Polarization of this flow battery is investigated at both electrolzyer and fuel cell modes with respect to different content of bromine. Because of the poisoning effect of bromine and bromide ions on Pt, non Pt electrode materials need to be developed. For the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), activities of MoS_2 and IrO_2/C are tested on the rotating disk electrode with cyclic voltammetry and psedosteady state polarization. XRD and HRTEM are used to characterize the morphology and structure.