scholarly journals Caffeinated Interfaces Enhance Alkaline Hydrogen Electrocatalysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Intikhab ◽  
Luis Rebollar ◽  
Yawei Li ◽  
Rahul Pai ◽  
Vibha Kalra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Hydrogen Oxidation ◽  
Molecular Engineering ◽  
Energy Storage And Conversion ◽  
Liquid Interfaces ◽  
Potential Cycling ◽  
Alkaline Fuel Cells ◽  
Pt Electrodes ◽  
Solid Liquid

<p>The high Pt loading required for hydrogen oxidation (HOR) and evolution (HER) reactions in alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers adversely impacts the system cost. Here, we demonstrate the use of caffeine as a ‘double-layer dopant’ to enhance both the HER and HOR of Pt electrodes in base. HER/HOR rates increase by fivefold on Pt(111) and are accelerated on Pt(110), Pt(pc), and Pt/C as well. FTIR spectroscopy confirms that caffeine is adsorbed at the Pt surface, forming a self-limiting film through electrochemical deposition. Caffeine films are stable up to 1.0 V vs. RHE and are readily regenerated through caffeine deposition during load/potential cycling. The findings presented here both identify a potential catalyst additive that can mitigate high Pt loadings in alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers while opening the door to molecular engineering of solid/liquid interfaces for energy storage and conversion.</p>

scholarly journals Caffeinated Interfaces Enhance Alkaline Hydrogen Electrocatalysis

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Saad Intikhab ◽  
Luis Rebollar ◽  
Yawei Li ◽  
Rahul Pai ◽  
Vibha Kalra ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Hydrogen Oxidation ◽  
Molecular Engineering ◽  
Energy Storage And Conversion ◽  
Liquid Interfaces ◽  
Potential Cycling ◽  
Alkaline Fuel Cells ◽  
Pt Electrodes ◽  
Solid Liquid

<p>The high Pt loading required for hydrogen oxidation (HOR) and evolution (HER) reactions in alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers adversely impacts the system cost. Here, we demonstrate the use of caffeine as a ‘double-layer dopant’ to enhance both the HER and HOR of Pt electrodes in base. HER/HOR rates increase by fivefold on Pt(111) and are accelerated on Pt(110), Pt(pc), and Pt/C as well. FTIR spectroscopy confirms that caffeine is adsorbed at the Pt surface, forming a self-limiting film through electrochemical deposition. Caffeine films are stable up to 1.0 V vs. RHE and are readily regenerated through caffeine deposition during load/potential cycling. The findings presented here both identify a potential catalyst additive that can mitigate high Pt loadings in alkaline fuel cells and electrolyzers while opening the door to molecular engineering of solid/liquid interfaces for energy storage and conversion.</p>

scholarly journals Special Section on Mechanics of Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-2
Author(s):  
Dibakar Datta ◽  
Partha Mukherjee ◽  
Wilson K. S. Chiu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Structural Parameters ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Lithium Ion ◽  
Stress Generation ◽  
Electrochemical Energy Storage ◽  
Energy Storage And Conversion ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Electrochemical Energy

Abstract The increasing population growth, depletion of natural resources, and rising energy demand have sparked enormous research endeavors in electrochemical energy storage and conversion. For example, rechargeable lithium-ion batteries are ubiquitous in everyday life. Mechanics plays a critical role in designing a wide range of energy technologies. The emerging field of electro-chemo-mechanics, the interplay of mechanics and electrochemistry, is crucial for understanding the coupled physiochemical processes. The electrochemical phenomena can govern the mechanical response such as stress generation, deformation, fracture initiation/propagation, elasticity, plasticity, etc. Similarly, mechanical phenomena also influence the electrochemical properties such as device reliability, durability, etc. Therefore, the in-depth mechanical study of electrochemical systems is urgently necessary for fundamental science and technological applications. Over the past few years, there has been significant progress in modeling, theories, and experimental characterizations of mechanical aspects of energy storage and conversion. This timely special issue addressed some recent advances in electro-chemo-mechanics. We have selected eight papers covering a wide range of issues in batteries and fuel cells such as (i) deformation, microstructural changes, creep, overcharge detection and prevention, optimization of structural parameters in batteries, (ii) temperature and load variations, metal-free cathode catalyst in fuel cells. The selected papers cover a gamut of electrochemical-mechanics centric research in energy storage and conversion.

scholarly journals Research Progress on Applications of Polyaniline (PANI) for Electrochemical Energy Storage and Conversion

Materials ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 548 ◽  
Author(s):  
Zhihua Li ◽  
Liangjun Gong
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cells ◽  
Energy Storage ◽  
Composite Structures ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Carbon Materials ◽  
Rechargeable Batteries ◽  
Electrochemical Energy Storage ◽  
Research Progress ◽  
Energy Storage And Conversion ◽  
Electrochemical Energy

Conducting polyaniline (PANI) with high conductivity, ease of synthesis, high flexibility, low cost, environmental friendliness and unique redox properties has been extensively applied in electrochemical energy storage and conversion technologies including supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries and fuel cells. Pure PANI exhibits inferior stability as supercapacitive electrode, and can not meet the ever-increasing demand for more stable molecular structure, higher power/energy density and more N-active sites. The combination of PANI and other active materials like carbon materials, metal compounds and other conducting polymers (CPs) can make up for these disadvantages as supercapacitive electrode. As for rechargeable batteries and fuel cells, recent research related to PANI mainly focus on PANI modified composite electrodes and supported composite electrocatalysts respectively. In various PANI based composite structures, PANI usually acts as a conductive layer and network, and the resultant PANI based composites with various unique structures have demonstrated superior electrochemical performance in supercapacitors, rechargeable batteries and fuel cells due to the synergistic effect. Additionally, PANI derived N-doped carbon materials also have been widely used as metal-free electrocatalysts for fuel cells, which is also involved in this review. In the end, we give a brief outline of future advances and research directions on PANI.

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