2021 Fiscal Year Annual Research Report
Fundamental Insights into the Synthesis and Degradation of Model Fe-N-C Electrocatalysts
| Project/Area Number |
19H02558
|
|---|
| Allocation Type | Single-year Grants |
|---|
| Research Institution | Kyushu University |
|---|
Principal Investigator |
LYTH Stephen 九州大学, エネルギー研究教育機構, 准教授 (50618824)
|
|---|
| Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha) |
ハリントン ジョージ 九州大学, 持続的共進化地域創成拠点, 特任助教 (20753718) [Withdrawn]
西原 正通 九州大学, 次世代燃料電池産学連携研究センター, 准教授 (40415972)
吉岡 聰 九州大学, 工学研究院, 助教 (50452818)
林 灯 九州大学, 水素エネルギー国際研究センター, 教授 (60443214)
|
|---|
| Project Period (FY) |
2019-04-01 – 2024-03-31
|
| Keywords | Electrochemistry / Carbon / Hydrogen / non-PGM / ORR |
|---|
| Outline of Annual Research Achievements |
Performed catalyst synthesis, extensive characterisation and variation of the synthesis parameters (pyrolysis temperature, nitrogen content and metal loading). Started investigation of alternative metal precursors to iron. We have clarified the effects of various different heat treatment parameters on the catalytic activity of the resulting materials, linking changes in activity to mainly changes in pore size distribution and active site density.
We clarified how metal precursors decompose during heat treatment to form catalytic active sites on the nitrogen-doped carbon supports, using in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy at high temperature. The results were presented at conferences, published in a book, a book chapter, and several other manuscripts are in preparation.
|
| Current Status of Research Progress |
Current Status of Research Progress
2: Research has progressed on the whole more than it was originally planned.
Reason
We are on schedule according to the original plan.
|
| Strategy for Future Research Activity |
We will continue with the original plan, focusing more on durability testing of the designed electrocatalysts, and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) tests. Additionally we will start investigation of alternative metals. We will continue with the high temperature in-situ characterisation techniques. We will visit Saga Beam Line several times to continue our XAS investigation, and will use in-situ XPS at Charles University in Czech Republic for a second time (delayed due to COVID-19). We will attend conferences to present our work, and push to publish the data we already collected in peer reviewed journals.
|
