CO2-free energy circulation system—Polymer electrolyte alcohol electro-synthesis cell with a low iridium content anode based on in situ growth method

• Published in: Electrochimica acta Vol. 361; p. 137078
• Main Authors: Cheng, Junfang, Higashi, Manabu, Maeda, Nobutaka, Matsuda, Junko, Yamauchi, Miho, Nakashima, Naotoshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Elsevier Ltd 20-11-2020; Elsevier BV
• Subjects: Alcohol; Anodes; Binder free IrOx-Ti anode; Carbon dioxide; Catalysts; Chemical synthesis; Co2-free energy system; Electrolytes; Flux density; Free energy; Iridium; Oxygen evolution reaction (OER); Oxygen evolution reactions; Polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell (PEAEC); Polymers; Binder free IrOx-Ti anode; Polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell (PEAEC); Oxygen evolution reaction (OER); Co2-free energy system
• ISSN: 0013-4686; 1873-3859
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2020.137078

•In situ growth method to prepare a binder-free IrOx-Ti (IT) anode with a very low IrOx loading amount is described.•The synthesized catalyst shows a high oxygen evolution reaction activity and durability in acidic media.•A flow-type polymer electrolyzer (polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell) that efficiently synthesized glycolic acid from oxalic acid is described.
Alcohol is considered as a potential CO2-free energy carrier to replace hydrogen because of its high energy density, appropriate chemical stability and low-cost production. In this study, we describe the development of a simple in situ growth method to prepare a binder free IrOx-Ti anode with a very low IrOx loading amount (< 0.25 mg cm−2), and the obtained catalyst shows a high oxygen evolution reaction (OER) activity and durability in acidic media. The performance of a polymer electrolyte alcohol electrosynthesis cell (PEAEC) using this anode catalyst shows a better performance than that of PEAEC using a typical commercial IrO2-Ti paper anode with the loading of IrO2 = 3 mg cm−2. Furthermore, the key factors that affect the performance of the PEAEC are determined by comparing the performances of the PEAEC with different anode catalysts.
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