Elucidating the Catalyst-Ionomer-Membrane Interface in Alkaline Exchange Membrane Electrolysis Cells

Abstract

In modern day zero gap electrolyzer cells, the fabrication of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) has a pivotal role in determining the performance of a cell. Intricate detail such as choice of membrane and ionomer, ionomer to catalyst ratio and catalyst loadings have been found to affect MEA performances. These factors become more critical in the case of non-precious catalysts where minute modifications can influence the MEA activity to a larger extent than compared to precious group metal catalysts which have high inherent activity. In this work, a combinatorial study using different types of ionomers and alkaline exchange membranes (AEMs) with a variety of supporting electrolytes have been carried out to delineate the effect of membranes and ionomers in an MEA.