Microscopic Insights into the Degradation Mechanisms of Electrocatalysts in PEM Electrolyzers

摘要

Water electrolysis has the potential to become a key element in coupling the electricity, mobility, heating and chemical sectors via power-to-liquid or power-to-gas in a future sustainable energy system. While proton exchange membrane electrolyzer cells (PEMEC) offer several advantages over traditional electrolysis technologies, the high cost of catalysts and associated components remain a barrier for their wide industrial commercialization. Fundamental understanding of the PEMEC degradation mechanisms is crucial to elucidate the key parameters for developing new high-performance, low-cost and durable materials. This work aims to reveal degradation mechanisms of two novel material systems as investigation models. Electron microscopy methods, including transmission electron microscopy/scanning transmission electron microscopy (TEM/STEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) are applied to quantify the degradation of iridium- and platinum-based electrocatalysts in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs).