Gongrui Zhang

Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysts in Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Started Aug. 29, 2023

Abstract or project description

Precombustion carbon capture converts fossil fuels to CO2 and H2, from which the CO2 is separated. Fuel cells are a critical technology to convert remaining H2 to electrical energy. Hence, this paper will focus on fuel cells. Fuel cells are like batteries, which produce electricity through fuels such as hydrogen and oxygen. Within the fuel cell, hydrogen and oxygen are fed through the anode and cathode, respectively. During this process, electrocatalysts stand up as a crucial component by accelerating the separation of molecules into proton and electrons at the anode and combining them into water at the cathode, enhancing the efficiency of converting fuel into electricity by facilitating faster reactions. Consequently, this paper’s principal objective will be to investigate how different electrocatalysts affect the reaction rate during CO2 capture when passing through a fuel cell. In this paper, the criteria for electrocatalysts will first be evaluated by examining prior research works, covering the kinetics and efficiency of the catalysts. It will also examine methods for assessing these aspects. Then, a comparison between noble metal catalysts and non-noble metal catalysts will be made due to their high demands in the current catalyst market. This is achieved by carrying on the established criteria from the previous section and a conclusion will be drawn as PGM catalysts are more efficient mean while non-PGM catalysts are more cost-effective. As a result of this comparison, researchers may decide to use noble metal catalysts for efficiency, while non-noble metal catalysts are more favored for their cost-effectiveness due to their ability to be engineered into different catalysts. Finally, this paper will also outlook the challenges facing fuel cells in our current society and propose some future research goals that could be addressed.