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Investigations on electrode configurations for anion exchange membrane electrolysis

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Abstract

Investigations on configurations and properties of the electrode in the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) of an electrolyzer using an anion exchange membrane (AEM) were performed based on an experimental study using a small single electrolysis cell. First, two different configurations of the catalyst layer (CL) for the MEA were prepared using commercially available materials: a catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) and a catalyst-coated substrate (CCS). Experimental electrolysis results revealed that the electrode configuration appropriate for the MEA of AEM electrolyzers is CCM-cathode and CCS-anode. Then, the effect of electrode properties (catalyst loading and binder content in CLs) on electrolysis performance was examined experimentally, revealing an optimal range of catalyst loading and binder content.

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Abbreviations

\(i\) :

Current density, A cm− 2

\({R_{{\text{cell}}}}\) :

Ohmic resistance of cell, Ω cm2

\({T_{{\text{cell}}}}\) :

Cell temperature, K (°C)

t :

Time, sec (min)

\({V_{{\text{cell}}}}\) :

Cell voltage, V

\({w_{{\text{cat\_A}}}}\) :

Catalyst loading in anode catalyst layer, mg cm− 2

\({w_{{\text{cat\_C}}}}\) :

Catalyst loading in cathode catalyst layer, mg cm− 2

\({\omega _{\text{i}}}\) :

Ionomer (binder) content in catalyst layer formed by catalyst-coated membrane, wt%

\({\omega _{\text{P}}}\) :

Polytetrafluoroethylene (binder) content in catalyst layer formed by catalyst-coated substrate, wt%

AEM:

Anion exchange membrane

AFC:

Alkaline fuel cell

CCM:

Catalyst-coated membrane

CCS:

Catalyst-coated substrate

CL:

Catalyst layer

GDL:

Gas diffusion layer

HER:

Hydrogen evolution reaction

IEC:

Ion exchange capacity

IPA:

Isopropyl alcohol

MEA:

Membrane electrode assembly

NHE:

Normal hydrogen electrode

OER:

Oxygen evolution reaction

OPE:

Octylphenol ethoxylate

PEM:

Proton exchange membrane

PEMFC:

Proton exchange membrane fuel cell

PFA:

Perfluoroalkoxy alkane

PGM:

Platinum-group metals

PTFE:

Polytetrafluoroethylene

RES:

Renewable energy sources

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Acknowledgements

The authors gratefully acknowledge the financial support from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science (JSPS) through the Grants-in-Aid for Scientific Research (KAKENHI)—Grant Number JP17K05970. The authors wish to express their gratitude to Tokuyama Corporation for their helpful advice. The authors also thank Mr. Akira Takatsuki (AIST) for his SEM expertise.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Research Institute for Energy Conservation, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), 1-2-1 Namiki, Tsukuba, 305-8564, Japan

    Hiroshi Ito, Yasuo Hasegawa & Akihiro Nakano

  2. University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennoudai, Tsukuba, 305-8573, Japan

    Naoki Miyazaki, Shota Sugiyama & Masayoshi Ishida

  3. Tokyo Institute of Technology, 4259 Nagatsuda, Midori-Ku, Yokohama, 226-8503, Japan

    Yuka Nakamura, Shinya Iwasaki & Yasuo Hasegawa

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  1. Hiroshi Ito
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  2. Naoki Miyazaki
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  3. Shota Sugiyama
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Correspondence to Hiroshi Ito.

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Ito, H., Miyazaki, N., Sugiyama, S. et al. Investigations on electrode configurations for anion exchange membrane electrolysis. J Appl Electrochem 48, 305–316 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-018-1159-5

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