(675g) Low-Cost 3D Ni-Based Electrocatalysts for HER and Oer for Fuel Cells

Matthew DiBiase¹, Sean P. Rogers¹, Thomas Gascoigne¹, Jiangtian Li², Rongzhong Jiang², F. John Burpo¹, Deryn Chu², Enoch A. Nagelli^1*

¹Department of Chemistry & Life Science, Chemical Engineering Program, United States Military Academy, West Point, New York 10996

²U.S. Army Combat Capabilities Development Command, Army Research Laboratory

2800 Powder Mill Rd., Adelphi, MD 20783-1107

The implementation of porous electrodes in electrochemical applications requires fundamental understanding of the factors controlling electronic conduction through the Faradaic and non-Faradaic charge transfer processes. Moreover, recent advances in nanotechnology and materials science offers a selection of low-cost non-precious metal porous electrodes such as nickel for electrochemical applications. Conventional methods of electrolysis to produce H₂ and O₂ gas necessary for proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells rely on expensive catalysts. Alternative catalysts such as three-dimensional (3D) nickel foams with high surface area and surface to volume ratio are promising materials to reduce kinetic losses and enhance mass transfer rates, respectively. In our study, we investigate the impact of surface morphology and elemental composition of Ni-S and Ni-Fe based foams from hydrothermal synthesis and electrodeposition techniques on catalysis for electrochemical anodic and cathodic water splitting reactions (hydrogen evolution reaction/HER and oxygen evolution reaction/OER). Electrochemical performance of the Ni-S and Ni-Fe based 3D foams was evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry to determine the minimum overpotentials of the catalyst necessary to drive HER and OER. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and x-ray diffractometry (XRD) were used to characterize surface morphology, surface elemental composition, and crystallinity of the 3D Ni foams, respectively.

KEYWORDS: Fuel Cells, 3D Foams, Electrocatalysis, Oxygen Evolution Reaction, Hydrogen Evolution Reaction, Electrochemical Engineering

CONTACT: Enoch A. Nagelli, Email: enoch.nagelli@westpoint.edu