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Shape-tuned, surface-active and support-free silver oxygen reduction electrocatalyst enabled high performance fully
P Anandha Ganesh1, A N Prakrthi2, S Selva Chandrasekaran3
1State Key Laboratory for Mechanical Behavior of Materials, School of Materials Science and Engineering, Xi'an Jiaotong University No. 28, Xianning West Road Xi'an 710049 Shaanxi China nanoganesh@xjtu.edu.cn.
RSC Advances
|April 28, 2022
Summary
Researchers developed novel silver nanostructures for efficient oxygen reduction reactions. These non-platinum catalysts show promise for next-generation alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cells.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Developing efficient electro-catalysts is crucial for advancing sustainable energy technologies.
- Non-platinum group metal (n-PGM) catalysts are sought after to reduce costs in fuel cells.
- Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a key process in fuel cells, requiring highly active and stable catalysts.
Purpose of the Study:
- To synthesize controlled, shape-tuned non-PGM silver (Ag) nanostructures for ORR electro-catalysis.
- To investigate the effect of morphology on the catalytic activity and stability of Ag nanostructures.
- To evaluate the performance of these n-PGM catalysts in a fully non-PGM alkaline anion exchange membrane fuel cell (n-PAAEMFC).
Main Methods:
- A hierarchical shape tuning approach was employed using varying ratios of capping agent to dual reducing agents.
- Synthesis of spherical (S-AgNs) and vermiform (V-AgNs) silver nanostructures was achieved under ambient conditions.
- Electrochemical performance was assessed using techniques like cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode measurements in KOH solution.
- Fuel cell performance was tested in a fully n-PAAEMFC setup.
Main Results:
- Vermiform Ag nanostructures (V-AgNs) exhibited superior mass-normalized ORR Tafel activity, higher onset and half-wave potentials compared to spherical Ag nanostructures (S-AgNs).
- V-AgNs demonstrated enhanced stability with >88% retention of limiting current density after 5000 cycles.
- In a fully n-PAAEMFC, V-AgNs achieved a peak power density of 115.6 mW cm⁻² and stable short-term durability (~240 h).
Conclusions:
- The unique worm-like morphology of V-AgNs with surface active nano-islands and support-free nature enhances catalyst utilization and ORR performance.
- These shape-tuned n-PGM Ag nanostructures show significant potential for next-generation alkaline fuel cells.
- The hierarchical shape tuning approach offers a viable strategy for designing advanced n-PGM electro-catalysts.
