In operando activation of alkaline electrolyzer by ruthenium spontaneous deposition
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ORIGINAL PAPER
In operando activation of alkaline electrolyzer by ruthenium spontaneous deposition Nadia S. Luna 1 & Gabriel Correa-Perelmuter 1 & Gabriela I. Lacconi 2 & Liliana A. Diaz 3 & Esteban A. Franceschini 2 Received: 15 September 2020 / Revised: 27 October 2020 / Accepted: 29 October 2020 # Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2020
Abstract Conventional alkaline electrolyzers used for water splitting can considerably increase their efficiency upon modification of the surface of the electrode. Here we present in operando evidence of activation of a conventional alkaline electrolyzer using nickel electrodes modified by spontaneous deposition of ruthenium (1 × 10−5 M in 30% w/v KOH electrolyte). Surface modifications were analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and X-ray diffraction. Conventional electrochemical techniques were used to establish the kinetic and thermodynamic parameters of hydrogen generation before and after the spontaneous deposition of Ru. Changes on the nickel electrodes by direct modification of the electrolyte allowed to reduce the potential at minimum current from 1.64 to 1.00 V under the same operating conditions. That is, a considerable increase in the electrolysis efficiency was attained by reducing the activation overvoltage. Thus, using a simple, inexpensive, and reproducible method, it is possible to increase the efficiency of conventional electrolyzers. Keywords Water splitting . Nickel electrodes . Bipolar electrolyzer . Hydrogen evolution . Oxygen evolution
Introduction The rapid and sustained development of renewable energies, particularly in isolated places, generates a growing demand for fast and efficient energy storage methods that allow the transport of large amounts of energy [1–5]. In fact, Boston Consulting Group estimates that the energy storage market will grow from 6 in 2014 to 26 billion Euros in 2030 [6]. Hydrogen is a highly valuable energetic vector due to its high heating value that can be produced in the absence of CO2 emissions [7–9]. However, most of the current mass
* Esteban A. Franceschini [email protected] 1
CONICET, CITCA, Universidad Nacional de Catamarca – FACEN, Prado 366, K4700BDH San Fernando Del Valle de Catamarca, Argentina
2
INFIQC-CONICET, Depto. de Fisicoquímica – Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Universidad Nacional de Córdoba, Ciudad Universitaria, 5000 Córdoba, Argentina
3
Depto. de Almacenamiento de la Energía (DADLE), Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Industrial (INTI), Av. Gral. Paz 5445, San Martín, B1650KNA Buenos Aires, Argentina
production of hydrogen is generated from natural gas reforming, a process that produces CO2 and other greenhouse gases. Alternatively, the electrochemical generation of hydrogen allows for the use of renewable sources; this is a more environmentally friendly but usually expensive process [10, 11]. The development of cost-effective methods that can increase the electrolyzer’s efficiency would allow decreasing the final cost of th
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