The role of phosphoric acid in the anodic electrocatalytic layer in high temperature PEM fuel cells

Abstract

The poisoning effect and the role of H3PO4 (PA) at the anodic electrocatalytic layer of a high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane (HT PEM based on ADVENT TPS®) fuel cell are discussed under the light of cyclic voltammetry, CO stripping, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) experiments. The catalytic layer was based on both the pyridine-modified multi-wall carbon nanotubes, 30 wt% Pt/(ox.MWCNT)-Py, and on commercial 30 wt% Pt/C, with varying PA loadings on the electrode. At low PA loadings (<3 gPA/gPt), the electrochemically active surface area of Pt decreases significantly under H2 anode long-term operation, approaching surface Pt utilization <10 %. This degradation is attributed to the formation of pyrophosphoric or triphosphoric acid as well as catalytically H2 reduced PA species, which block the Pt surface area. As was explicitly detected by means of XPS PA species were displaced from the Pt surface under H2 or CO exposure. The poisoning effect is reversible as these species can be hydrated back to orthophosphoric acid. The reduced species can be reoxidized into PA at 750 mV versus RHE. On the other hand, the electrochemical interface is stable at PA loadings exceeding 3 gPA/gPt, thus approaching Pt surface utilization >80 % in the long term. This is believed to be a consequence of the more uniform distribution of PA, thus eliminating the PA displacement from the Pt interphase. It is hypothesized that the minimization of the PA poisoning effect at PA > 3 gPA/gPt, may also be a result of more efficient hydration of the catalytic layer that is being achieved through the hydration of the PA in the membrane and in the catalyst layer by the cathodically produced water vapors. © 2013 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht.