Femtosecond laser-induced surface structuring of the porous transport layers in proton exchange membrane water electrolysis

Michel Suermann,Thomas Gimpel,Wolfgang Schade,Lena V. Bühre,Richard Hanke-Rauschenbach,Boris Bensmann

doi:10.1039/c9ta12127g

Abstract

Experimentally determined reduction of both ohmic and mass transport overpotential due to femtosecond laser-induced surface structuring of titanium-based porous transport layers at the interface to the catalyst layer.

Highlights

Efficient energy storage solutions are becoming increasingly important to meet a growing energy demand with a rising share of renewable energy sources
The SEM-results of the pristine and laserstructured porous transport layer (PTL) are shown in order to illustrate the morphological changes caused by the laser-treatment
The importance of the interface between the anode porous transport layer and the catalyst layer is underlined in this work

Summary

Introduction

Efficient energy storage solutions are becoming increasingly important to meet a growing energy demand with a rising share of renewable energy sources. One reason is the naturally intermittent electricity production of wind and solar power plants.[1] Power to gas plants are favored for energy storage over a longer period of days to months as well as for large quantities. For these applications, proton exchange membrane water electrolysis (PEMWE) is considered a promising technology.[2] There are already plants in the MW range,[3] which are expected to increase to a scale of several hundred MW or even GW in the near future. There are still a number of development gaps to further reduce the capital expenditure (CAPEX) and operational expenditure (OPEX).[4,5] A possibility to further decrease the OPEX is to increase the efficiency of the electrolyzer by e.g

Results

Discussion

Conclusion