scholarly journals Operando XAS of a Bifunctional Gas Diffusion Electrode for Zn-Air Batteries under Realistic Application Conditions

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 11672
Author(s):  
Emanuele Marini ◽  
Danilo Oliveira De Souza ◽  
Giuliana Aquilanti ◽  
Michael Liebert ◽  
Francesca Rossi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Gas Diffusion Electrode ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Critical Conditions ◽  
Oxygen Starvation ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Operando Xas ◽  
Battery Discharge ◽  
X Ray Absorption

In this study, operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements were carried out on a newly developed O2 bi-functional gas diffusion electrode (GDE) for rechargeable Zn-air batteries, consisting of a mixture of α-MnO2 and carbon black. The architecture and composition of the GDE, as well as the electrochemical cell, were designed to achieve optimum edge-jumps and signal-to-noise ratio in the absorption spectra for the Mn K-edge at current densities that are relevant for practical conditions. Herein, we reported the chemical changes that occur on the MnO2 component when the GDE is tested under normal operating conditions, during both battery discharge (ORR) and charge (OER), on the background of more critical conditions that simulate oxygen starvation in a flooded electrode.

Cold Pre-Compression Treatment of Gas Diffusion Electrode for PEM Fuel Cells

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shan Jia ◽  
Hongtan Liu
Keyword(s):  
Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cell ◽  
Pem Fuel Cells ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Gas Diffusion Electrode ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Cell Performance ◽  
Experimental Results ◽  
Overall Performance ◽  
Compression Treatment

In a PEM fuel cell, it has been shown that the compression under the land area is the main reason for the observed higher performance than that under channel areas. If the area under the channel can also benefit from such a compression the overall performance of the cell will increase. Since the areas under the channel are not directly compressed in an assembled fuel cell, it is the objective of this study to determine if a cold pre-compression treatment of the gas diffusion electrode (GDE) may have a significant positive effect on the overall performance of the cell. First, the GDE is cold pre-compressed to a level similar to the compression that would be experienced by the land areas in an assembled fuel cell. Then the pre-compressed GDE is assembled in a regular test fuel cell and the performances under various operating conditions are studied. Finally, the cell performance results are compared with the results obtained from a fuel cell with a regular GDE. The experimental results show that cold pre-compress of the GDE has significantly improved the overall performance of the fuel cell. Further experiments have also been conducted with five different levels of cold pre-compression to determine if there exists an optimal compression and its value if it exists. The experimental results show that the performance of the fuel cell first increases with the level of cold pre-compression, reaching a maximum and then decreases with the level of compression. These results clearly indicate that there indeed exists an optimal level of compression. Further studies using both cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) have further corroborated the cell performance findings as well as the underlying mechanism. The results of EIS indicate that the ohmic resistance is hardly affected by the cold pre-compression, while the charge transfer resistance is significantly affected, especially in high current density region. The CV results show that the electro-chemical area (ECA) is higher with the cold pre-compressed GDE and there is an optimal compression that results in the maximum ECA. Therefore, the experimental results have shown that (a) the cold pre-compression treatment of the GDE is an effective and simple technique to increase PEM fuel cell performances; (b) there exists an optimal compression level at which the cell reaches its maximum performance; and (c) the increased performance is due to the increase of ECA resulting from the cold pre-compression treatment.

A Stable Field Emission Electron Source

1977 ◽  
Vol 35 ◽  
pp. 58-59
Author(s):  
W.R. Bottoms ◽  
G.B. Haydon
Keyword(s):  
Field Emission ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
High Brightness ◽  
Electron Sources ◽  
Brightness Field ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Properties Of Materials ◽  
Stable Field ◽  
Stable Current ◽  
Careful Design

There is great interest in improving the brightness of electron sources and therefore the ability of electron optical instrumentation to probe the properties of materials. Extensive work by Dr. Crew and others has provided extremely high brightness sources for certain kinds of analytical problems but which pose serious difficulties in other problems. These sources cannot survive in conventional system vacuums. If one wishes to gather information from the other signal channels activated by electron beam bombardment it is necessary to provide sufficient current to allow an acceptable signal-to-noise ratio. It is possible through careful design to provide a high brightness field emission source which has the capability of providing high currents as well as high current densities to a specimen. In this paper we describe an electrode to provide long-lived stable current in field emission sources.The source geometry was based upon the results of extensive computer modeling. The design attempted to maximize the total current available at a specimen.

Compact and efficient gas diffusion electrodes based on nanoporous alumina membranes for microfuel cells and gas sensors

The Analyst ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 145 (1) ◽  
pp. 122-131 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wanda V. Fernandez ◽  
Rocío T. Tosello ◽  
José L. Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Response Times ◽  
Hydrogen Oxidation ◽  
Fast Response ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Limiting Current ◽  
Gas Diffusion Electrodes ◽  
Nanoporous Alumina ◽  
Alumina Membranes ◽  
Current Densities ◽  
Microfuel Cells

Gas diffusion electrodes based on nanoporous alumina membranes electrocatalyze hydrogen oxidation at high diffusion-limiting current densities with fast response times.

scholarly journals Investigation of Gas Diffusion Electrode Systems for the Electrochemical CO2 Conversion

Catalysts ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (4) ◽  
pp. 482
Author(s):  
Hilmar Guzmán ◽  
Federica Zammillo ◽  
Daniela Roldán ◽  
Camilla Galletti ◽  
Nunzio Russo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Capture ◽  
Active Sites ◽  
Co2 Reduction ◽  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
Gas Diffusion Electrode ◽  
Catalyst Loading ◽  
Co2 Conversion ◽  
Atmospheric Conditions ◽  
Electrochemical Co2 Reduction ◽  
Liquid Products

Electrochemical CO2 reduction is a promising carbon capture and utilisation technology. Herein, a continuous flow gas diffusion electrode (GDE)-cell configuration has been studied to convert CO2 via electrochemical reduction under atmospheric conditions. To this purpose, Cu-based electrocatalysts immobilised on a porous and conductive GDE have been tested. Many system variables have been evaluated to find the most promising conditions able to lead to increased production of CO2 reduction liquid products, specifically: applied potentials, catalyst loading, Nafion content, KHCO3 electrolyte concentration, and the presence of metal oxides, like ZnO or/and Al2O3. In particular, the CO productivity increased at the lowest Nafion content of 15%, leading to syngas with an H2/CO ratio of ~1. Meanwhile, at the highest Nafion content (45%), C2+ products formation has been increased, and the CO selectivity has been decreased by 80%. The reported results revealed that the liquid crossover through the GDE highly impacts CO2 diffusion to the catalyst active sites, thus reducing the CO2 conversion efficiency. Through mathematical modelling, it has been confirmed that the increase of the local pH, coupled to the electrode-wetting, promotes the formation of bicarbonate species that deactivate the catalysts surface, hindering the mechanisms for the C2+ liquid products generation. These results want to shine the spotlight on kinetics and transport limitations, shifting the focus from catalytic activity of materials to other involved factors.

scholarly journals B‐Cu‐Zn gas diffusion electrodes for CO2 electroreduction to C2+ products at high current densities

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yanfang Song ◽  
Joao R. C. Junqueira ◽  
Nivedita Sikdar ◽  
Denis Öhl ◽  
Stefan Dieckhöfer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Gas Diffusion ◽  
High Current ◽  
Gas Diffusion Electrodes ◽  
Co2 Electroreduction ◽  
Current Densities

scholarly journals CMUT-Based Sensor for Acoustic Emission Application: Experimental and Theoretical Contributions to Sensitivity Optimization

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (6) ◽  
pp. 2042
Author(s):  
Redha Boubenia ◽  
Patrice Le Moal ◽  
Gilles Bourbon ◽  
Emmanuel Ramasso ◽  
Eric Joseph
Keyword(s):  
Signal Processing ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Ultrasonic Transducer ◽  
Operating Conditions ◽  
Geometrical Parameters ◽  
Signal To Noise ◽  
Coupling Conditions ◽  
Sensor Structure ◽  
Noise Ratio ◽  
Electrical Connections

The paper deals with a capacitive micromachined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT)-based sensor dedicated to the detection of acoustic emissions from damaged structures. This work aims to explore different ways to improve the signal-to-noise ratio and the sensitivity of such sensors focusing on the design and packaging of the sensor, electrical connections, signal processing, coupling conditions, design of the elementary cells and operating conditions. In the first part, the CMUT-R100 sensor prototype is presented and electromechanically characterized. It is mainly composed of a CMUT-chip manufactured using the MUMPS process, including 40 circular 100 µm radius cells and covering a frequency band from 310 kHz to 420 kHz, and work on the packaging, electrical connections and signal processing allowed the signal-to-noise ratio to be increased from 17 dB to 37 dB. In the second part, the sensitivity of the sensor is studied by considering two contributions: the acoustic-mechanical one is dependent on the coupling conditions of the layered sensor structure and the mechanical-electrical one is dependent on the conversion of the mechanical vibration to electrical charges. The acoustic-mechanical sensitivity is experimentally and numerically addressed highlighting the care to be taken in implementation of the silicon chip in the brass housing. Insertion losses of about 50% are experimentally observed on an acoustic test between unpackaged and packaged silicon chip configurations. The mechanical-electrical sensitivity is analytically described leading to a closed-form amplitude of the detected signal under dynamic excitation. Thus, the influence of geometrical parameters, material properties and operating conditions on sensitivity enhancement is clearly established: such as smaller electrostatic air gap, and larger thickness, Young’s modulus and DC bias voltage.

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