Effect of bipolar-plates design on corrosion,mass and heat transfer in proton-exchange membrane fuel cells and water electrolyzers:A review

Attaining a decarbonized and sustainable energy system,which is the core solution to global energy issues,is accessible through the development of hydrogen energy.Proton-exchange membrane water electrolyzers(PEMWEs)are promising devices for hydrogen production,given their high efficiency,rapid responsiveness,and compactness.Bipolar plates account for a relatively high percentage of the total cost and weight compared with other components of PEMWEs.Thus,optimization of their design may accelerate the promotion of PEMWEs.This paper reviews the advances in materials and flow-field design for bipolar plates.First,the working conditions of proton-exchange membrane fuel cells(PEMFCs)and PEMWEs are compared,including reaction direction,operating temperature,pressure,input/output,and potential.Then,the current research status of bipolar-plate substrates and surface coatings is summarized,and some typical channel-rib flow fields and porous flow fields are presented.Furthermore,the effects of materials on mass and heat transfer and the possibility of reducing corrosion by improving the flow field structure are explored.Finally,this review discusses the potential directions of the development of bipolar-plate design,including material fabrication,flow-field geometry optimization using threedimensional printing,and surface-coating composition optimization based on computational materials science.

Trifunctional robust electrocatalysts based on 3D Fe/N-doped carbon nanocubes encapsulating Co4N nanoparticles for efficient battery-powered water electrolyzers

Herein,we have designed a highly active and robust trifunctional electrocatalyst derived from Prussian blue analogs,where Co_(4)N nanoparticles are encapsulated by Fe embedded in N-doped carbon nanocubes to synthesize hierarchically structured Co_(4)N@Fe/N-C for rechargeable zinc-air batteries and overall water-splitting electrolyzers.As confirmed by theoretical and experimental results,the high intrinsic oxygen reduction reaction,oxygen evolution reaction,and hydrogen evolution reaction activities of Co_(4)N@Fe/N-C were attributed to the formation of the heterointerface and the modulated local electronic structure.Moreover,Co_(4)N@Fe/N-C induced improvement in these trifunctional electrocatalytic activities owing to the hierarchical hollow nanocube structure,uniform distribution of Co_(4)N,and conductive encapsulation by Fe/N-C.Thus,the rechargeable zinc-air battery with Co_(4)N@Fe/N-C delivers a high specific capacity of 789.9 mAh g^(-1) and stable voltage profiles over 500 cycles.Furthermore,the overall water electrolyzer with Co_(4)N@Fe/N-C achieved better durability and rate performance than that with the Pt/C and IrO2 catalysts,delivering a high Faradaic efficiency of 96.4%.Along with the great potential of the integrated water electrolyzer powered by a zinc-air battery for practical applications,therefore,the mechanistic understanding and active site identification provide valuable insights into the rational design of advanced multifunctional electrocatalysts for energy storage and conversion.

Enhancing the Efficiency of Multi-Electrolyzer Clusters with Lye Mixer:Topology Design and Control Strategy

The rise in hydrogen production powered by renewable energy is driving the field toward the adoption of systems comprising multiple alkaline water electrolyzers.These setups present various operational modes:independent operation and multi-electrolyzer parallelization,each with distinct advantages and challenges.This study introduces an innovative configuration that incorporates a mutual lye mixer among electrolyzers,establishing a weakly coupled system that combines the advantages of two modes.This approach enables efficient heat utilization for faster hot-startup and maintains heat conservation post-lye interconnection,while preserving the option for independent operation after decoupling.A specialized thermal exchange model is developed for this topology,according to the dynamics of the lye mixer.The study further details startup procedures and proposes optimized control strategies tailored to this structural design.Waste heat from the caustic fully heats up the multiple electrolyzers connected to the lye mixing system,enabling a rapid hot start to enhance the system’s ability to track renewable energy.A control strategy is established to reduce heat loss and increase startup speed,and the optimal valve openings of the diverter valve and the manifold valve are determined.Simulation results indicate a considerable enhancement in operational efficiency,marked by an 18.28%improvement in startup speed and a 6.11%reduction in startup energy consumption inmulti-electrolyzer cluster systems,particularlywhen the systems are synchronized with photovoltaic energy sources.The findings represent a significant stride toward efficient and sustainable hydrogen production,offering a promising path for large-scale integration of renewable energy.

Technical factors affecting the performance of anion exchange membrane water electrolyzer

Anion exchange membrane(AEM)electrolysis is a promising membrane-based green hydrogen production technology.However,AEM electrolysis still remains in its infancy,and the performance of AEM electrolyzers is far behind that of well-developed alkaline and proton exchange membrane electrolyzers.Therefore,breaking through the technical barriers of AEM electrolyzers is critical.On the basis of the analysis of the electrochemical performance tested in a single cell,electrochemical impedance spectroscopy,and the number of active sites,we evaluated the main technical factors that affect AEM electrolyzers.These factors included catalyst layer manufacturing(e.g.,catalyst,carbon black,and anionic ionomer)loadings,membrane electrode assembly,and testing conditions(e.g.,the KOH concentration in the electrolyte,electrolyte feeding mode,and operating temperature).The underlying mechanisms of the effects of these factors on AEM electrolyzer performance were also revealed.The irreversible voltage loss in the AEM electrolyzer was concluded to be mainly associated with the kinetics of the electrode reaction and the transport of electrons,ions,and gas-phase products involved in electrolysis.Based on the study results,the performance and stability of AEM electrolyzers were significantly improved.

Advances and challenges of electrolyzers for large-scale CO_(2) electroreduction

CO_(2) electroreduction(CO_(2) ER)to high value-added chemicals is considered as a promising technology to achieve sustainable carbon neutralization.By virtue of the progressive research in recent years aiming at design and understanding of catalytic materials and electrolyte systems,the CO_(2) ER performance(such as current density,selectivity,stability,CO_(2) conversion,etc.)has been continually increased.Unfortunately,there has been relatively little attention paid to the large-scale CO 2 electrolyzers,which stand just as one obstacle,alongside series-parallel integration,challenging the practical application of this infant technology.In this review,the latest progress on the structures of low-temperature CO_(2) electrolyzers and scale-up studies was systematically overviewed.The influence of the CO_(2) electrolyzer configurations,such as the flow channel design,gas diffusion electrode(GDE)and ion exchange membrane(IEM),on the CO_(2) ER performance was further discussed.The review could provide inspiration for the design of large-scale CO_(2) electrolyzers so as to accelerate the industrial application of CO_(2) ER technology.

Strategic comparison of membrane-assisted and membrane-less water electrolyzers and their potential application in direct seawater splitting(DSS)

Electrocatalytic splitting of water by means of renewable energy as the electricity supply is one of the most promising methods for storing green renewable energy as hydrogen. Although two-thirds of the earth’s surface is covered with water, there is inadequacy of freshwater in most parts of the world. Hence, splitting seawater instead of freshwater could be a truly sustainable alternative. However, direct seawater splitting faces challenges because of the complex composition of seawater. The composition, and hence, the local chemistry of seawater may vary depending on its origin, and in most cases, tracking of the side reactions and standardizing and customizing the catalytic process will be an extra challenge. The corrosion of catalysts and competitive side reactions due to the presence of various inorganic and organic pollutants create challenges for developing stable electro-catalysts. Hence, seawater splitting generally involves a two-step process, i.e., purification of seawater using reverse osmosis and then subsequent fresh water splitting. However, this demands two separate chambers and larger space, and increases complexity of the reactor design. Recently, there have been efforts to directly split seawater without the reverse osmosis step. Herein, we represent the most recent innovative approaches to avoid the two-step process, and compare the potential application of membrane-assisted and membrane-less electrolyzers in direct seawater splitting(DSS). We particularly discuss the device engineering, and propose a novel electrolyzer design strategies for concentration gradient based membrane-less microfluidic electrolyzer.

Transcriptomics integrated with metabolomics reveals the mechanism of CaCl_(2)-HCl electrolyzed water-induced glucosinolate biosynthesis in broccoli sprouts

Glucosinolates are important phytochemicals in Brassicaceae.We investigated the effect of CaCl_(2)-HCl electrolyzed water(CHEW)on glucosinolates biosynthesis in broccoli sprouts.The results showed that CHEW treatment significantly decreased reactive oxygen species(ROS)and malondialdeh yde(MDA)contents in broccoli sprouts.On the the 8^(th)day,compared to tap water treatment,the the total glucosinolate content of broccoli sprouts with CHEW treatment increased by 10.6%and calcium content was dramatically enhanced from 14.4 mg/g DW to 22.7 mg/g DW.Comparative transcriptome and metabolome analyses revealed that CHEW treatment activated ROS and calcium signaling transduction pathways in broccoli sprouts and they interacted through MAPK cascades.Besides,CHEW treatment not only promoted the biosynthesis of amino acids,but also enhanced the expression of structural genes in glucosinolate synthesis through transcription factors(MYBs,bHLHs,WRKYs,etc.).The results of this study provided new insights into the regulatory network of glucosinolates biosynthesis in broccoli sprouts under CHEW treatment.

An effective oxygen electrode based on Ir0.6Sn0.4O2 for PEM water electrolyzers

An effective oxygen evolution electrode with Ir0.6Sn0.4O2 was designed for proton exchange membrane(PEM)water electrolyzers.The anode catalyst layer exhibits a jagged structure with smaller particles and pores,which provide more active sites and mass transportation channels.The prepared IrSn electrode showed a cell voltage of 1.96 V at 2.0 A cm^-2 with Ir loading as low as 0.294 mg cm^-2.Furthermore,Ir Sn electrode with different anode catalyst loadings was investigated.The IrS n electrode indicates higher mass current and more stable cell voltage than the commercial Ir Black electrode at low loading.

Activation of iridium site by anchoring ruthenium atoms on defects for efficient anodic catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane water electrolyzers

1.Introduction Hydrogen is an ideal energy carrier to tackle the energy crisis and greenhouse effect,because of its high energy density and low emission.The production,storage and transportation of hydrogen are key factors to the practical application of hydrogen energy.As the scientific and technological understanding of the electrochemical devices was advancing in the past few decades,water electrolyzers based on the proton exchange membrane (PEM) have attracted much focus for its huge potential on the production of hydrogen via water splitting.PEM electrolyzers use perfluorinated sulfonic acid (PFSA) based membranes as the electrolyte.

Hydrogen Production from an Alkali Electrolyzer Operating with Egypt Natural Resources

Egypt is bordered by coastal sea2450 km, while incident solar radiation is in the order of magnitudes of 1900-2200 W/m2 in that area of the world. The present work is aimed to assess the hydrogen production from the solar-hydrogen system composed of photovoltaic cell motivated by solar energy and supplies electricity to alkali electrolyzer. The electrolyzer uses sea and Nile water as electrolytes. Indoor tests are done to identify the optimum concentration ratio of the sea water to produce hydrogen. Experimental results showed that stand-alone sea water gives a higher production rate. The results of the outdoor tests revealed the need for about seven units of electrolyzer working with the sea water to produce the same amount of hydrogen that KOH solution electrolyte would provide. However, the efficiency of solar-hydrogen units working with the sea water gives a lower constant efficiency of about 0.13%, followed by Photovoltaic/electrolyzer unit using Nile water of approximately 0.005%. The KOH solution electrolyte provides an efficiency of approximately 8% at solar noon. The sea water is recommended to be used instead of KOH solution in all coming electrolyzers.

MATLAB/Simulink Modeling and Experimental Resultsof a PEM Electrolyzer Powered by a Solar Panel

In this paper, the solar panels are used to power an electrolyzer to separate the water into hydrogen and oxygen gas. Theelectrical equivalent circuit for the proton exchange membrane electrolyzer was developed and implemented in MATLAB/Simulinkalong with the atmospheric hydrogen storage tank. The voltage （2 volt） and current （1 ampere） were supplied in a similar manner inorder to compare the simulated and experimental results. The hydrogen amount is calculated to be 7.345 （ml/min A） from the modelas well as the experimental set-up. The experimental and simulation results were matched.

弱酸性电解水用于提升鲜切马铃薯安全品质的研究

目的探究弱酸性电解水和自来水处理的鲜切马铃薯在室温贮藏条件下不同时间段内品质的变化。方法模拟现代厨房贮存模式,经弱酸性电解水和自来水处理的鲜切马铃薯在室温(25±0.5)℃贮藏环境下,贮藏0、7、14、21、28、35h时,检测其感官、色度、质构、淀粉、蛋白质、钾、维生素C、菌落总数、大肠杆菌、沙门氏菌、金黄色葡萄球菌、霉菌、酵母菌。结果经弱酸性电解水处理的鲜切马铃薯在室温贮藏21 h内,经自来水处理的鲜切马铃薯在室温贮藏14 h内,感官正常,其营养成分淀粉、蛋白质、维生素C、钾元素下降较少,金黄色葡萄球菌、沙门氏菌、菌落总数、大肠杆菌、霉菌、酵母菌的含量均在国家标准和团体标准许可的安全范围内,可安全食用。结论弱酸性电解水可显著提升鲜切马铃薯的贮藏品质,抑制其金黄色葡萄球菌、沙门氏菌、菌落总数、大肠杆菌、霉菌、酵母菌繁殖,延长室温贮藏期。

基于电-热特性的质子交换膜电解槽模型研究进展

“电-氢”转换为能源领域低碳转型提供了一种新型、绿色、高效的解决方案,质子交换膜电解槽因具备产氢纯度高、制氢效率优、高度集成化以及与波动性电源耦合程度好等优点而备受关注,模型构建是对其机理研究、特性分析、系统运行控制模拟的重要手段。基于质子交换膜电解槽电化学特性和热传输特性,对国内外已有的质子交换膜电解槽电化学模型和热传输模型建模方法进行综述,并简要分析多物理场耦合模型研究进展,对未来质子交换膜电解槽建模研究发展方向进行展望。

微酸性电解水-超声波并行联合处理对鲜切生菜表面大肠杆菌杀菌效果的影响

为探明微酸性电解水(slightly acidic electrolyzed water,SAEW)与超声波(ultrasonic,US)并行联合处理对鲜切生菜表面大肠杆菌(Escherichia coli)的杀菌效应,本研究在不同料液比(1∶5、1∶10、1∶15(g/mL))和不同温度(25、35、45℃)条件下采用SAEW-US并行联合处理鲜切生菜,并用平板计数法测定生菜表面E.coli菌落数,对菌落数的变化情况进行协同效应分析及动力学分析。采用流式细胞术和双层培养计数法对处理后的E.coli进行亚致死损伤检测。结果表明,SAEW-US并行联合处理的杀灭E.coli效力高于SAEW单一作用时的杀灭E.coli效力,随着处理时间的延长、溶剂用量的增加和温度的提高,杀灭E.coli效果显著增强。SAEW-US并行联合处理对于杀灭E.coli具有“1+1>2”的协同效应,且杀菌过程遵循一级动力学模型。SAEW-US并行联合处理比单独SAEW处理杀灭E.coli效果强,并且能降低E.coli亚致死损伤数量。综上可知,SAEW-US并行联合处理鲜切生菜表面E.coli存在协同效应,相关结果可为鲜食农产品的杀菌提供理论依据。

基于制氢设备精细建模的综合能源系统绿氢蓝氢协调低碳优化策略

在“双碳”背景下,为了降低氢能利用成本及综合能源系统的碳排放,该文提出一种综合能源系统绿氢和蓝氢协调低碳优化策略。首先考虑电解水制氢和天然气制氢的经济和碳排放特性,分别引入绿氢和蓝氢产-储-用模块,并对绿氢制取设备的功率-效率动态特性、蓝氢制取中的能量转换过程进行精细化建模,实现不同类型氢能高效协调利用。其次,通过优化氢负荷供应中的绿氢和蓝氢比例,提升供氢灵活性。基于此,综合考虑碳交易、波动性风电制氢下的电解槽寿命损耗以及各设备的约束条件,以风电运行与弃风惩罚成本、购能成本、电解槽的寿命折损成本、蓝氢提纯成本及碳排放成本之和的总经济成本最小为目标,构建低碳经济调度模型。最后,通过算例分析验证了所提绿氢蓝氢协调优化策略的合理性。

电解水析氢反应的铁基非晶合金薄带催化剂研究进展

Pt基电催化剂是析氢反应的基准,然而低丰度和高成本制约了此类贵金属基催化剂的大规模应用,从而促使了替代材料的探索。铁基非晶合金具有无序原子排布结构,表现出独特的物理化学性质。受碱性溶液中的高效析氢反应启发,简述了铁基非晶合金薄带电催化剂的常见反应机理和设计策略,旨在为制备高性能电催化剂提供指导,包括杂原子掺杂、异质面构筑、应变及空位缺陷构建等。此外,原位表征技术和密度泛函理论在铁基非晶合金薄带电催化剂理论设计、反应过程、动态结构演变和机理揭示等方面发挥了重要作用。最后简要介绍了铁基电催化剂目前存在的挑战和未来的研究方向。

电解银离子杀灭艾滋病病毒的实验研究

目的探讨电解银离子体外灭活艾滋病病毒(HIV)的效果。方法用HIV-1病毒感染C8166细胞,并在C8166细胞中快速复制,然后释放到细胞培养上清中,使C8166细胞产生合胞体,当细胞密度达到1×10^(7)个·mL^(-1)时,用电解银离子与C8166细胞混合,室温孵育1 h后作为待测样品,在倒置显微镜下观察每孔中HIV-1ⅢB诱导的细胞病变效应,对细胞孔中的合胞体进行检测,使用Spearman-Karber法计算对照组和银离子灭火组的病毒TCID 50值。结果对照组的残余病毒滴度为106.67 TCID 50·mL^(-1),银离子灭活组残余病毒滴度为102.5 TCID 50·mL^(-1)。相对于对照组,银离子灭活组在室温1 h条件下对HIV-1病毒滴度的降低≥4.17 log,灭活率为99.993%。结论体外实验表明,电解银离子可有效杀灭HIV病毒,具备用于研制HIV病毒体外消杀用品的潜力。

电解槽电解小室电压监测系统的设计

电解槽电解小室电压是电解工艺的关键技术参数。对电解槽电解小室电压监测系统进行设计,包括硬件和软件两部分,硬件主要包括电压采集单元、数据采集柜、显示单元。通过应用电解槽电解小室电压监测系统,可以及时发现异常情况,避免非计划停机,减少生产损失,降低电解电耗,并提高电解效率。

酸性电解水理化性质及其脱色能力研究

初步比较了4种强电解质酸性电解水理化数据,考察了NaCI酸性电解水理化参数受温度、时间和浓度的影响。实验分析了浓度为0.43 mol/L的NaCI酸性电解水脱色性能。结果表明,不同电解质的酸性电解水理化参数与其表观解离度有正相关性。随电解质浓度、温度等变化,NaCI酸性电解水pH值降低、氧化电位值(ORP)、电导率(σ)和余氯含量(ACC)相应发生变化。酸性电解水与染料溶液体积比为1:1时,对红色、黄色、蓝色、印花蓝、藏青、黑色染料,1 min脱色率均高达90%以上。

超声雾化微酸性电解水对采后娃娃菜流通及货架品质的影响

为了探明微酸性电解水(Slightly acidic electrolyzed water,SAEW)对采后娃娃菜货架品质的影响,本文分析了在低温流通(4±1)℃及货架条件(25±1)℃下,不同浓度(0、50、100和150 mg/L)SAEW超声雾化熏蒸处理对娃娃菜采后保鲜效果的影响。结果显示,较对照和其它浓度(50和150 mg/L)SAEW处理相比,100 mg/L SAEW超声雾化熏蒸处理在货架第6和第9 d时显著抑制了娃娃菜丙二醛含量的升高及总硫苷含量的下降(P<0.05)。进一步的流通及货架模拟结果显示,与对照组相比,100 mg/L的SAEW超声雾化熏蒸处理使娃娃菜中的菌落总数降低了17.04%,总硫苷含量提升了30.11%;另外,该处理显著抑制了采后娃娃菜中亚硝酸盐和丙二醛含量的积累(P<0.05),延缓了可溶性糖、可溶性蛋白、总酚、抗坏血酸和异硫氰酸酯含量的下降,提高了黑芥子酶的活性。100 mg/L SAEW超声雾化熏蒸处理不仅能有效抑制流通及货架期间娃娃菜中菌落总数的生长,而且可有效减缓该过程中娃娃菜营养品质的流失,从而提高娃娃菜的保鲜效果。