SMARTCAT

"Systematic, Material-oriented Approach using Rational design to develop break-Through Catalysts for commercial automotive PEMFC stacks"

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 Obiettivo del progetto (Objective)

'The present consortium will build a new concept of electrodes based on new catalyst design (ternary alloyed/core shell clusters) deposited on a new high temperature operation efficient support. In order to enhance the fundamental understanding and determine the optimal composition and geometry of the clusters, advanced computational techniques will be used in direct combination with electrochemical analysis of the prepared catalysts. The use of deposition by plasma sputtering on alternative non-carbon support materials will ensure the reproducible properties of the catalytic layers. Plasma technology is now a well established, robust, clean, and economical process for thin film technologies. Well-defined chemical synthesis methods will also be used prior for quickly defining the best catalytists.MEA preparation and testing, MEA automated fabrication in view of automotive operation will complete the new concepts of catalysts with a considerably lowered Pt content (below 0.01 mgcm-2 and less up to 0.001 mgcm-2) and supports for delivering a competitive and industrially scalable new design of PEMFC suitable for automotive applications. SMARTCat will thus address the following objectives: - Deliver specifications/requirements for reaching the technical goals as a roadmap. - Design an efficient new catalyst architecture - Establish a support selection criteria based on physico-chemical characterization and modelling for defining the most suited electrode support to the defined catalytic system - Assess the robustness regarding operation conditions and fuel cell efficiency - Enable to automate the MEA production using state of the art (< 100°C) and high temperature membranes (120°C) - Build efficient short-stack required for competitive automotive fuel cell operation - Low cost process and low Pt content will dramatically reduce the fuel cell cost, and which will lead to economically suitable fuel cells for automotive application'

Introduzione (Teaser)

New membrane-electrodes assemblies with less platinum content can slash the costs of automotive fuel cells (FCs). An EU-funded project is developing a new electrode concept without compromising on FC efficiency and durability.

Descrizione progetto (Article)

FCs that convert chemical energy into electricity are a clean alternative to fossil fuel combustion. Platinum is one of the most commonly used catalysts that accelerate the FC chemical reaction. Although effective, platinum remains very expensive.

The EU-funded project http://smartcat.cnrs.fr/ (SMARTCAT) (Systematic, material-oriented approach using rational design to develop break-through catalysts for commercial automotive PEMFC stacks) is reducing the amount of platinum content by replacing it with different materials as such as specific ternary alloyed clusters. The successful development of these materials is a next step towards eliminating the largest obstacle to large-scale commercialisation of FC technology.

Advanced computational techniques developed in the SMARTCAT project help in determining the optimal cluster composition and geometry. This work will is supported by electrochemical analysis of the prepared corresponding catalysts.

Highly efficient tri-metallic catalytic nano-structured layers with ultralow platinum loading should be a world-class breakthrough in catalyst development. Scientists have evaluated catalysts based on platinum-palladium-gold alloys. They found that keeping gold concentration under 25 % increases catalyst activity. In addition, the team has explored other promising tri-metallic catalysts based on a platinum-(nickel or copper or cobalt)-gold alloys.

Another focus of the project has been the development of efficient electrode supports capable of withstanding high voltages and temperatures to catalyse both hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction. So far, scientists have developed both computational and experimental approaches to build new and efficient supports that are also sufficiently conductive and resistant to corrosion during FC operation.

SMARTCAT breakthrough catalysts are expected to reduce membrane electrode assembly costs by approximately 35 %, bringing Europe to the forefront of FC development for automotive applications. Sustainable energy production through efficient and cost-effective FC technology is a major goal in Europe. Development of new alloys within the scope of SMARTCAT can support a future European hydrogen economy.