Bias Dependence of the Transition State of the Hydrogen Evolution Reaction.

The hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is one of the most prominent electrocatalytic reactions of green energy transition. However, the kinetics across materials and electrolyte pH and the impact of hydrogen coverage at high current densities remain poorly understood. Here, we study the HER kinetics over a large set of nanoparticle catalysts in industrially relevant acidic and alkaline membrane electrode assemblies that are only operated with pure water humidified gases.

Exploring dynamic solvation kinetics at electrocatalyst surfaces.

The interface between electrocatalyst and electrolyte is highly dynamic. Even in absence of major structural changes, the intermediate coverage and interfacial solvent are bias and time dependent. This is not accounted for in current kinetic models.

Design principles for water dissociation catalysts in high-performance bipolar membranes.

Water dissociation (WD, HO → H + OH) is the core process in bipolar membranes (BPMs) that limits energy efficiency. Both electric-field and catalytic effects have been invoked to describe WD, but the interplay of the two and the underlying design principles for WD catalysts remain unclear. Using precise layers of metal-oxide nanoparticles, membrane-electrolyzer platforms, materials characterization, and impedance analysis, we illustrate the role of electronic conductivity in modulating the performance of WD catalysts in the BPM junction through screening and focusing the interfacial electric field and thus electrochemical potential gradients.

Performance and Durability of Pure-Water-Fed Anion Exchange Membrane Electrolyzers Using Baseline Materials and Operation.

Water electrolysis powered by renewable electricity produces green hydrogen and oxygen gas, which can be used for energy, fertilizer, and industrial applications and thus displace fossil fuels. Pure-water anion-exchange-membrane (AEM) electrolyzers in principle offer the advantages of commercialized proton-exchange-membrane systems (high current density, low cross over, output gas compression, etc.) while enabling the use of less-expensive steel components and nonprecious metal catalysts.

Selectivity Control of Cu Nanocrystals in a Gas-Fed Flow Cell through CO Pulsed Electroreduction.

In this study, we have taken advantage of a pulsed CO electroreduction reaction (CORR) approach to tune the product distribution at industrially relevant current densities in a gas-fed flow cell. We compared the CORR selectivity of Cu catalysts subjected to either potentiostatic conditions (fixed applied potential of -0.7 V) or pulsed electrolysis conditions (1 s pulses at oxidative potentials ranging from = 0.