Abstract
The development of medium size SPE® (Solid Polymer Electrolyte) water electrolysers requires satisfactory membrane-electrode assemblies. Pt-Nafion®-Pt, Pt-Ir-Nafion®-Pt and Pt-Ru-Nafion®-Pt composites have been tested for such applications. Anodic overvoltage, cathodic over-voltage and ohmic drop across the SPE® have been measured in the temperature range of 20 to 80° C and in the current density range 0 to 1 A cm−2 Kinetic parameters for the oxygen and hydrogen evolution reactions have been measured and compared to values obtained in aqueous acid solutions. Electrode structure has been investigated, before and after 2 500 h of continuous electrolysis at 1 A cm−2, by scanning electron microscopy, in order to check electrode stability at high current density. The effect of membrane surface etching on the roughness factors of the electrodes has also been investigated. Life tests performed on bare membranes and SPE composites at various operating pressures are presented and discussed. Results on the poisoning effect of nickel ions added to the feed water of the cells are reported.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
R. S. Yeo, J. Electrochem. Soc. 3 (1983) 533.
W. A. Titterington and J. F. Austin, ‘Ext. Abstr.’, ECS Fall Meeting, New York (1974) p. 576.
P. W. T. Lu and S. Srinivasan, J. Appl. Electrochem. 9 (1979) 269.
L. J. Nuttall, Proceedings of the 1st World Hydrogen Energy Conference (WHEC). Miami Beach, Florida (1976) p. 6B-21.
L. J. Nuttall and J. H. Russel, Proceedings of the 2nd WHEC. Zurich, Switzerland, 1 (1978) p. 391.
‘Solid Polymer Electrolyte Water Electrolysis Technology Development for Large Scale Hydrogen Production’, General Electric Coy, DOE report no. DOE/ET/26 202-1 (1981).
A. B. La Conti, E. N. Balko, T. G. Coker and A. G. Fragala, Proceedings of the Symposium on Ion Exchange and Interfacial Properties. The Electrochemical Society, Pennington, NJ (1981) p. 318.
P. Millet, R. Durand and M. Pinéri, J. Appl. Electrochem. 19 (1989) 162.
Idem, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 15(4) (1990) 245.
S. Stucki and A. Menth, Proceedings of the Symposium on Industrial Water Electrolysis. ECS series (1978) p. 180.
J. McBreen, J. Electrochem. Soc. 132 (1985) 1112.
A. Michas, Ph.D. Thesis, Grenoble, France (1986).
J. L. Weineiger and R. R. Russel, J. Electrochem. Soc. 125 (1978) 1482.
P. Millet and R. Durand, unpublished results.
P. Beutler and H. Gamsjager, J. Chem. Soc. Chem. Common. (1976) 554.
A. Damjanovic, A. Dey and J. O'M. Bockris, J. Electrochem. Soc. 113 (1966) 739.
J. O'M. Bockris and A. K. N. Reddy, ‘Modern Electrochemistry’, Plenum-Rosetta Ed., 2 (1977) 1238.
J. M. Otten and W. Visscher, J. Electroanal. Chem. 55 (1974) 1.
H. Takenaka, E. Torikai, Y. Kawami and N. Wakabayashi, Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 7 (1982) 397.
R. J. Lawrence and L. D. Wood, U.S. Patent 4 272 353 9 June (1981).
P. Millet, T. Alleau, P. Mathonnet, M. Pinéri and R. Durand, Proceedings of the ESA Symposium on Power Sources in Space. Madrid (1989).
B. J. Bowles, Electrochim. Acta 15 (1970) 589.
F. El Omar and R. Durand, J. Electroanal. Chem. 17 (1987) 343.
E. R. Kotz and S. Stucki, J. Appl. Electrochem. 17 (1987) 1190.
R. Adams and R. L. Shriner, J. Amer. Chem. Soc. 45 (1923) 2171.
P. Millet, Electrochim. Acta 36(2) (1991) 263.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Millet, P., Alleau, T. & Durand, R. Characterization of membrane-electrode assemblies for solid polymer electrolyte water electrolysis. J Appl Electrochem 23, 322–331 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296687
Received:
Revised:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00296687