TY - JOUR

T1 - Optimizing the use of a gas diffusion electrode setup for CO2 electrolysis imitating a zero-gap MEA design

AU - Alinejad, Shima

AU - Quinson, Jonathan

AU - Li, Yao

AU - Kong, Ying

AU - Reichenberger, Sven

AU - Barcikowski, Stephan

AU - Broekmann, Peter

AU - Arenz, Matthias

N1 - Funding Information: This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) via the project No. 200021_184742. The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, is thanked for access to SAXS equipment, in particular J. K. K. Kirkensgaard. Funding Information: This work was supported by the Swiss National Science Foundation (SNSF) via the project No. 200021_184742. The Niels Bohr Institute, University of Copenhagen, Denmark, is thanked for access to SAXS equipment, in particular J. K. K. Kirkensgaard. Publisher Copyright: © 2023 The Author(s)

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - The lack of a robust and standardized experimental test bed to investigate the performance of catalyst materials for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2RR) is one of the major challenges in this field of research. To best reproduce and mimic commercially relevant conditions for catalyst screening and testing, gas diffusion electrode (GDE) setups attract rising attention as an alternative to conventional aqueous-based setups such as the H-cell configuration. Zero-gap electrolyzer designs show promising features for upscaling to the commercial scale. In this study, we scrutinize further our recently introduced “zero-gap GDE” setup or more correct half-cell MEA design for the CO2RR. Using an Au electrocatalyst as a model system we simulate the anode conditions in a zero-gap electrolyzer and identify/report the key experimental parameters to control the catalyst layer preparation to optimize the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. Among others, it is demonstrated that supported Au nanoparticles (NPs) result in significantly higher current densities when compared to unsupported counterparts, however, the supporting also renders the NPs prone to agglomeration during electrolysis.

AB - The lack of a robust and standardized experimental test bed to investigate the performance of catalyst materials for the electrochemical CO2 reduction reaction (ECO2RR) is one of the major challenges in this field of research. To best reproduce and mimic commercially relevant conditions for catalyst screening and testing, gas diffusion electrode (GDE) setups attract rising attention as an alternative to conventional aqueous-based setups such as the H-cell configuration. Zero-gap electrolyzer designs show promising features for upscaling to the commercial scale. In this study, we scrutinize further our recently introduced “zero-gap GDE” setup or more correct half-cell MEA design for the CO2RR. Using an Au electrocatalyst as a model system we simulate the anode conditions in a zero-gap electrolyzer and identify/report the key experimental parameters to control the catalyst layer preparation to optimize the activity and selectivity of the catalyst. Among others, it is demonstrated that supported Au nanoparticles (NPs) result in significantly higher current densities when compared to unsupported counterparts, however, the supporting also renders the NPs prone to agglomeration during electrolysis.

KW - CO reduction

KW - Electrolysis

KW - Gas diffusion electrode

U2 - 10.1016/j.jcat.2023.115209

DO - 10.1016/j.jcat.2023.115209

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85178029206

VL - 429

JO - Journal of Catalysis

JF - Journal of Catalysis

SN - 0021-9517

M1 - 115209

ER -