(Invited) 25 Years of the Thin-Film Rotating Disk Electrode Technique

Abstract

Twenty-five years ago, in summer 1998, the first paper introducing the thin-film rotating disk electrode (TFRDE) method was published in the Journal of the Electrochemical Society [1]. At this time, we demonstrated that by preparing a thin layer of a supported Pt/Vulcan catalyst mixed with a small amount of Nafion could reliably be coated on top of a glassy carbon disk, electrochemical reactions like the hydrogen oxidation reaction could be measured on an RDE taking advantage of the well-known mass-transport conditions of an RDE. By keeping the layer thickness in the range of 1 micrometer, additional mass-transport resistances induced by the catalyst layer/Nafion film became negligible. That is, all equations valid on an RDE could be applied without modification. Further work on the oxygen reduction reaction by using the TF Rotating Ring-Disk electrode allowed detecting peroxide formation on a supported catalyst [2]. Both publications grounded the path for catalyst development in fuel cell. The method has been used since then as a standard method for catalyst screening and characterization in both academia and industries. In addition, many researchers improved the TFRDE method within their research. The application span of the TFRDE developed from fuel cell research, oxidation of small organic molecules, to work on Li-O2 batteries, water electrolysis, and CO2 reduction.This presentation will offer a journey over the last 25 years and the application of the TFRDE technique in catalyst development and characterization.[1] T.J. Schmidt, H.A. Gasteiger, G.D. Stäb, P. Urban, D.M. Kolb, R.J. Behm Characterization of High-Surface-Area Electrocatalysts Using a Rotating Disk Electrode Configuration J. Electrochem. Soc. 145 (1998) 2354-2358 [2] U.A. Paulus, T.J. Schmidt, H.A. Gasteiger, R.J. Behm Oxygen Reduction on a High-Surface Area Pt/Vulcan Carbon Catalyst: A Thin-Film Rotating Ring-Disk Study J. Electroanal. Chem. 495 (2001) 134-145 [3] T.J. Schmidt, H.A. Gasteiger Rotating Thin-Film Method for Supported Catalysts, in Handbook of Fuel Cells: Fundamentals, Technology and Applications, Vol. 2 Part 3, W. Vielstich, H.A. Gasteiger, A. Lamm (Eds.), John Wiley & Sons, New York, 316-333 (2003)