Journal Article

Porous Iron‐Nitrogen‐Carbon Electrocatalysts for Anion Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (AEMFC)

Ficca, Valerio C. A., Carbone, Alessandra, Mecheri, Barbara, Gatto, Irene, Ricciardi, Beatrice, Silva Freitas, Williane, Capasso, Andrea, D'Epifanio, Alessandra, Placidi, Ernesto

2023

Overview

High‐performance platinum group metal‐free (PGM‐free) electrocatalysts were prepared from porous organic polymers (POPs) precursors with highly‐porous structures and adjustable surface area. A resin phenol‐melamine‐based POP and an iron salt were used to synthesize Fe−N−C catalysts with different iron contents (0.2–1.3 wt.%). Electrochemical and spectroscopical characterization allowed us to elucidate the effect of Fe content on the material's structure, surface chemistry, and electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The increase of iron content led to a specific surface area decrease, preserving the morphological structure, with the formation of highly‐active catalytic sites, as indicated by X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. The rotating ring disk electrode experiments, performed at pH=13, confirmed the high ORR activity of both 0.5 Fe (E1/2=0.84 V) and 1.3 Fe (E1/2=0.83 V) catalysts, which were assembled at the cathode of a H2‐fed anion exchange membrane fuel cells (AEMFC) equipped with a FAA‐3‐50 membrane, evidencing promising performance (0.5 Fe, maximum power density, Max PD=69 mA cm−2 and 1.3 Fe, Max PD=87 mA cm−2) with further advancement prospects. More or less: A sustainable soft templating strategy allowed preparing highly porous Fe−N−C catalysts with different Fe contents. The effect of Fe content on the material's structure and electrocatalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was elucidated. The formation of high‐active nitrogen‐ and iron‐based functional groups endowed electrocatalysts with excellent ORR activity.

• Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc,Wiley-VCH
• Subject: Active sites / alkaline fuel cells / Anion exchanging / Catalysts / Chemical activity / Chemical reduction / Chemical synthesis / Electrocatalysts / Electrochemical analysis / Fe−Nx−C active sites / Fuel cells / Iron / Maximum power density / Melamine / Membranes / mesoporous carbon / oxygen reduction reaction / Oxygen reduction reactions / Photoelectron spectroscopy / Photoelectrons / platinum group metal-free electrocatalysts / Platinum metals / Prepolymers / Rotating disks / Surface area / X ray photoelectron spectroscopy