Application of Solid Catalysts with an Ionic Liquid Layer (SCILL) in PEMFCs: From Half-Cell to Full-Cell

Xiaojing Cheng; Guanghua Wei; Liuxuan Luo; Jiewei Yin; Shuiyun Shen; Junliang Zhang

doi:10.1007/s41918-023-00195-5

Electrochemical Energy Reviews ›› 2023, Vol. 6 ›› Issue (1) DOI: 10.1007/s41918-023-00195-5

Review Article

Application of Solid Catalysts with an Ionic Liquid Layer (SCILL) in PEMFCs: From Half-Cell to Full-Cell

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¹Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China

²SJTU-Paris Tech Elite Institute of Technology, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China

³MOE Key Laboratory of Power & Machinery Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, 200240, Shanghai, China

^e shuiyun_shen@sjtu.edu.cn

^f junliang.zhang@sjtu.edu.cn

Xiaojing Cheng

received her B.S. and PhD degrees from Shandong University and Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU) in 2015 and 2021, respectively, and then worked as a postdoctoral fellow at the Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, SJTU. She focuses on the oxygen transport mechanism in cathode catalyst layers (CCLs) of low- and ultralow-Pt loading proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), including gas diffusion in porous electrodes, gas permeation in ionomer films, and gas transport in gas diffusion layers and flow fields.

Dr. Guanghua Wei

is an Associate Professor of SJTU Paris Elite Institute Technology (SPEIT), Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). Her research focuses on multi-scale study of of mass, momentatum and heat transportation for different applications, such as thermal spray technology, epi wafer processing, triple junction solar cell production, proton exchange membrane fuel cell research and design.

Dr. Liuxuan Luo

received his B.S. degree from Xi’an Jiaotong University, and further obtained the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees under the supervision of Prof. Junliang Zhang from Shanghai Jiao Tong University. He is currently a postdoctor with Prof. Minhua Shao at The Hong Kong University of Science and Technology. His main research interests now lie in the preparation of nanomaterials and their applications for energy-conversion electrocatalysis.

Dr. Jiewei Yin

got his PhD degree form Shanghai Jiao Tong University in 2015, and then worked as an assistant professor at Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). He mainly focuses on the research of proton-exchange membrane fuel cell, including the preparation process and test methods of membrane electrode assembly (MEA). He also explores materials of catalyst for solid oxide fuel cells and electrolysed water.

Shuiyun Shen

is an Associate Professor at the Institute of Fuel Cells, School of Mechanical Engineering, Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). She received her B.S. and M.S. form Harbin Institute of Technology in 2006 and 2008, respectively, and her PhD from Hong Kong University of Science and Technology in 2012. Her key expertise is in electrochemistry, electrocatalysis, fuel cells and so on. She is the second-place recipient of the Shanghai Technology Invention Award in 2020.

Junliang Zhang

is a Zhiyuan Chair Professor, the Director of the Institute of Fuel Cells, and the Executive Dean of Zhiyuan College at Shanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU). He received his B.S. and M.S. from SJTU in 1994 and 1997, respectively, and his PhD from State University of New York at Stony Brook in 2005. Dr. Junliang Zhang’s key expertise is in electrochemistry, electrocatalysis and fuel cells. He was the first-place recipient of the Shanghai Technology Invention Award in 2020.

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Abstract

The advantages of zero emission and high energy efficiency make proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) promising options for future energy conversion devices. To address the cost issue associated with Pt-based electrocatalysts, considerable effort over the past several years has been devoted to catalyst surface modification by means of novel electrocatalysts, such as solid catalysts with an ionic liquid layer (SCILL), which improves both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability. However, despite numerous reports of dramatically enhanced ORR activity, as determined via the rotating disk electrode (RDE) method, few studies on the application of SCILLs in membrane electrode assembly (MEA) have been reported. The underlying reason lies in the well-acknowledged technological gap between half-cells and full-cells, which originates from the disparate microenvironments for three phase boundaries. Therefore, the objective of this review is to compare the detailed information about improvements in fuel cell performance in both half- and full-cells, thus increasing the fundamental understanding of the mechanism of SCILL. In this review, the concept of SCILL and its origin are introduced, the outstanding electrochemical performance of SCILL catalysts in both RDE and MEA measurements is summarized, and the durability of SCILL catalysts is analysed. Subsequently, proposed mechanisms for the enhanced ORR activity in half-cells, the improved oxygen transport in full-cells and the boosted stability of SCILL catalysts are discussed, while the effects of the IL chemical structure, IL loading as well as the operating conditions on the performance and lifetime of SCILL catalysts are assessed. Finally, comprehensive conclusions are presented, and perspectives are proposed in the last section. It is believed that the new insight presented in this review could provide guidance for the further development of SCILLs in low-Pt PEMFCs.

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Xiaojing Cheng, Guanghua Wei, Liuxuan Luo, Jiewei Yin, Shuiyun Shen, Junliang Zhang. Application of Solid Catalysts with an Ionic Liquid Layer (SCILL) in PEMFCs: From Half-Cell to Full-Cell. Electrochemical Energy Reviews, 2023, 6(1): DOI:10.1007/s41918-023-00195-5