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An alternative to platinum: Iron-nitrogen compounds as catalysts in graphene
https://www.tu-darmstadt.de/vorbeischauen/aktuell/news_details_139584.en.jsp[font face=Serif][font size=5]An alternative to platinum[/font]
[font size=4]Iron-nitrogen compounds as catalysts in graphene[/font]
2016/01/27
[font size=3]Teams at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and TU Darmstadt have produced a cost-effective catalyst material for fuel cells using a new preparation process which they analysed in detail. It consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in tiny islands of graphene only a few nanometres in diameter. It provides the excellent catalytic efficiency – approaching that of platinum. The results are interesting for solar fuels research as well.
The new material consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in tiny islands of graphene only a few nanometres in diameter. It is only the FeN₄ centres that provide the excellent catalytic efficiency – approaching that of platinum.
Fuel cells convert the chemical energy stored in hydrogen (H₂ ) into electrical energy by electrochemically “combusting" hydrogen gas with oxygen (O₂ ) from the air into water (H₂O), thereby generating electricity. As a result, future electric automobiles might be operated quite well with fuel cells instead of with heavy batteries. But for “cold” combustion of hydrogen and oxygen to function well, the anode and cathode of the fuel cell must be coated with extremely active catalysts. The problem is that the platinum-based catalysts employed for this contribute about 25 per cent of the total fuel-cell costs.
However, iron-nitrogen complexes in graphene (known as Fe-N-C catalysts) have been achieving levels of activity comparable to Pt/C catalysts for several years already. “Systematic investigation of Fe-N-C catalysts was difficult though, since most approaches for preparing the materials lead to heterogeneous compounds. These contain various species of iron compounds such as iron carbides or nitrides besides the intended FeN₄ centres”, explains Sebastian Fiechter of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB).
…[/font][/font]
[font size=4]Iron-nitrogen compounds as catalysts in graphene[/font]
2016/01/27
[font size=3]Teams at Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin and TU Darmstadt have produced a cost-effective catalyst material for fuel cells using a new preparation process which they analysed in detail. It consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in tiny islands of graphene only a few nanometres in diameter. It provides the excellent catalytic efficiency – approaching that of platinum. The results are interesting for solar fuels research as well.
The new material consists of iron-nitrogen complexes embedded in tiny islands of graphene only a few nanometres in diameter. It is only the FeN₄ centres that provide the excellent catalytic efficiency – approaching that of platinum.
Fuel cells convert the chemical energy stored in hydrogen (H₂ ) into electrical energy by electrochemically “combusting" hydrogen gas with oxygen (O₂ ) from the air into water (H₂O), thereby generating electricity. As a result, future electric automobiles might be operated quite well with fuel cells instead of with heavy batteries. But for “cold” combustion of hydrogen and oxygen to function well, the anode and cathode of the fuel cell must be coated with extremely active catalysts. The problem is that the platinum-based catalysts employed for this contribute about 25 per cent of the total fuel-cell costs.
However, iron-nitrogen complexes in graphene (known as Fe-N-C catalysts) have been achieving levels of activity comparable to Pt/C catalysts for several years already. “Systematic investigation of Fe-N-C catalysts was difficult though, since most approaches for preparing the materials lead to heterogeneous compounds. These contain various species of iron compounds such as iron carbides or nitrides besides the intended FeN₄ centres”, explains Sebastian Fiechter of Helmholtz-Zentrum Berlin (HZB).
…[/font][/font]
