Aligned one-dimensional nanostructure electrodes from Electrically Conductive pOrous coordiNation polymer for proton exChange mEmbrane fueL celLs

Projektbeschreibung

Neue Katalysatoren sollen Protonenaustauschmembran-Brennstoffzellen belastbarer und kosteneffektiver machen

Brennstoffzellen sind schadstofffreie Energiequellen, die chemische Energie hocheffizient und ohne Emissionen in elektrischen Strom umwandeln. Protonenaustauschmembran-Brennstoffzellen sind eine Art Brennstoffzelle, die vor allem für den Verkehr sowie für stationäre und mobile Anwendungen entwickelt wurde. Sie unterscheiden sich von anderen Brennstoffzellen durch ihre geringe Betriebstemperatur, ihr schnelles Hoch- und Herunterfahren, ihre hohe Energieeffizienz und leistungsstarke Flexibilität. Das EU-finanzierte Projekt EconCell zielt darauf ab, Brennstoffzellen zu entwickeln, für die keine kostspieligen Platinkatalysatoren erforderlich sind. Das Projekt wird eine neue Generation kostengünstiger und belastbarer Protonenaustauschmembran-Brennstoffzellen-Elektroden auf Basis von 3D-Nanostrukturen von Elektrokatalysatoren entwickeln, die nicht der Platingruppe angehören. Die Forschenden werden dazu Fortschritte bei ionischen Flüssigkeiten, porösen Koordinationspolymeren und stickstoffhaltigen Metallkomplexen nutzen.

Ziel

To address environmental hazardous impact of fossil fuel energy technologies and the high dependency on them, clean energy systems have been developed for future energy fulfilment. Among them, the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is considered as a highly potential electrochemical energy conversion technology because of its low operation temperature, quick start-up and shutdown, high energy efficiency and power flexibility. However, the sluggish cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) undermines the overall performance. Up to now, the commonly used catalysts are still carbon supported Pt-based nanoparticles, with which the high cost of Pt undesirably increases the overall cost of the system. In EconCell, we will develop a new generation of low-cost, active site enriched and durable PEMFC electrodes from three-dimensional (3D) nanostructures of non-platinum group metal (non-PGM) electrocatalysts. It consists of protic hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL) encapsulated nanowire arrays (NWAs) of electronically conductive porous coordination polymer (E-PCP) selectively assembled on N-doped aligned carbon nanotubes (N-CNTs). The ambitious aim will be achieved with the complementary skills of Experienced Researcher (E-PCPs and nanowires) and supervisors (fuel cells and ionic liquids), based on the unique porosity, conductivity and stability of E-PCPs, the excellent catalytic activities of nitrogen-containing (N) transition metal complexes (MCs), and oxyphilicity and hydrophobicity of ILs. EconCell will extend significantly the existing knowledge of coordinated N active sites, transition metals, ILs and 1D nanostructure electrodes, making available for predicting the catalytic performance of new non-PGM catalyst systems for PEMFCs. The advancement will improve the development level of related fields, bringing about both fundamental and practical impact on various electrochemical energy conversion systems, e.g. electrolyzers, batteries, supercapacitors, etc.