(Invited) Overall Research on Electrode Coating Processes (OREO) - the Role of Imaging and Spectroscopy in Scale-up Fabrication of Low Temperature Water Electrolyzers

Abstract

With the recent trends in hydrogen technologies, scale-up fabrication of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) for the electrochemical systems such as fuel cells and electrolyzers is gaining significant attention. Companies and researchers are focusing on diverse large-scale electrode fabrication processes, such as roll-to-roll and screen-printing. However, optimizing such processes is not trivial, and a number of parameters, including but not limited to catalyst type, solvent, ink mixing, electrode coating and drying, play a role in the quality of the final product. Correlations between the fabrication parameters and resulting electrode microstructure, properties and performance are important to understand, in order to better control the processes. Imaging and spectroscopy techniques play an important role in this understanding, starting from catalysts, inks and all the way to the electrodes. Information about catalyst distribution, composition, and surface chemistry can be correlated to ink characteristics, and finally to electrode structure, component distribution and properties, and their effect on MEA performance can be investigated.In this talk, a collaborative work between four institutions, University of Connecticut, Colorado School of Mines, National Renewable Energy Lab and Fraunhofer ISE, within a project on Overall Research on Electrode Coating Processes (OREO), is discussed, with the focus on low temperature water electrolyzers scale-up fabrication and characterization. The talk will especially focus on the role of advanced microcopy and spectroscopy in the characterization of catalyst powders, inks and electrodes.