Researcher(s)
- Katie Verwys, Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware
Faculty Mentor(s)
- Yushan Yan, Chemical Engineering, University of Delaware
Abstract
As the world moves away from gasoline cars, the auto racing industry, including NASCAR, will have to follow and use a more sustainable fuel source. Electric vehicles with batteries would require impractically long charging times. Hydrogen is a promising fuel that combines high performance with carbon neutrality while still using a combustion engine. Most hydrogen today is generated by steam methane reforming, which is not environmentally friendly. Green hydrogen is produced with electrolyzers, but has a relatively high cost. An electrolyzer uses an electric current to split water, generating hydrogen at the cathode electrode and oxygen at the anode. Poor durability is the biggest issue for anion exchange membrane electrolyzers, but high performance is also required to generate hydrogen efficiently. The anode currently limits the electrolyzer’s performance and is the main cause behind short lifetimes. Previous research found an iron-nickel-seeded anode to be high-performing and relatively stable. However, iron is problematic for long-term durability, degrading the membrane over time. Cobalt has been found to be a good alternative, but the high performance must be maintained while also proving its durability advantages. We developed a nickel-cobalt-seeded anode by modifying the iron-nickel-seeded anode synthesis. We optimized the anode synthesis process by altering parameters such as the solvent ratios, ingredient concentrations, and synthesis time. We found that adding oxygen bubbling significantly improved performance, yielding 1.632 V at 1 A/cm2 and 1.851V at 4 A/cm2, outperforming the iron-nickel-seeded anode at high current density. Durability tests were similar over 250 hours, with a degradation rate of 102.5 µV/hr. Further analysis is needed to confirm that cobalt decreases membrane degradation and improves overall cell durability.