Theoretical analysis of particle size re-distribution due to Ostwald ripening in the fuel cell catalyst layer

Kregar, Ambrož (author), Katrašnik, Tomaž (author)

The limited durability of hydrogen fuel cells is one of the main obstacles in their wider adoption as a clean alternative technology for small scale electricity production. The Ostwald ripening of catalyst material is recognized as one of the main unavoidable degradation processes deteriorating the fuel cell performance and shortening its lifetime. The paper systematically studies how the modeling approach towards the electrochemically driven Ostwald ripening in the fuel cell catalyst differs from the classical diffusion driven models and highlights how these differences affect the resulting evolution of particle size distribution. At moderately low electric potential, root-law growth of mean particle size is observed with linear relation between mean particle size and standard deviation of particle size distribution, similar to Lifshitz-Slyozov-Wagner theory, but with broader and less skewed distribution. In case of high electric potential, rapid particle growth regime is observed and qualitatively described by redeposition of platinum from a highly oversaturated solution, revealing the deficiencies of the existing platinum degradation models at describing the Ostwald ripening in the fuel cells at high electric potentials. Several improvements to the established models of platinum degradation in fuel cell catalysts are proposed, aimed at better description of the diffusion processes involved in particle growth due to Ostwald ripening.

• Language: English
• Keywords: fuel cells, Ostwald ripening, modeling, theory, platinum degradation
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FS - Faculty of Mechanical Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2019
• Number of pages: Str. 779-789
• Numbering: Vol. 17, iss. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-126391
• UDC: 621.352.6(045)
• ISSN on article: 2391-5471
• DOI: 10.1515/phys-2019-0081
• COBISS.SI-ID: 17001755
• Publication date in RUL: 19.04.2021

KREGAR, Ambrož and KATRAŠNIK, Tomaž, 2019, Theoretical analysis of particle size re-distribution due to Ostwald ripening in the fuel cell catalyst layer. Open Physics [online]. 2019. Vol. 17, no. 1, p. 779–789. [Accessed 31 March 2025]. DOI 10.1515/phys-2019-0081. Retrieved from: https://repozitorij.uni-lj.si/IzpisGradiva.php?lang=eng&id=126391

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Open Physics
• Shortened title: Open Phys.
• Publisher: De Gruyter
• ISSN: 2391-5471
• COBISS.SI-ID: 1024338012

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.
• Licensing start date: 19.04.2021

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Keywords: gorivne celice, Ostwaldovo zorenje, modeliranje, staranje platine

Projects

• Funder: ARRS - Slovenian Research Agency
• Project number: P2-0401
• Name: Energetsko strojništvo

• Funder: Other - Other funder or multiple funders
• Funding programme: Austrian Research Promotion Agency
• Project number: 854867
• Name: SoH4PEM