Research Projects

Platinum and Platinum Group Metals (PGM) are the preferred catalysts for electrochemical energy conversion processes in hydrogen evolution/oxidation (HER/HOR) and oxygen evolution/reduction reactions (OER/ORR). However, the platinum used in a Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC) car is about six times that used in combustion-powered cars, which leads to a cost disadvantage and hinders the mass adoption of hydrogen-powered cars. The electrocatalyst layer has evolved over time to accommodate the need for heat, electrons, and chemical reactants/products while providing a high surface area for conversion. Carbon-based supports are popular due to their high surface area, but their durability is limited by the corrosion of the carbon support during start-up and shut-down cycles. Research is now focused on developing carbon-free nanostructured thin films as electrocatalyst layers for PEMFC applications. The success of these thin-film architectures relies on the formation of highly adherent platinum overlayers on conductive nanostructured substrates. A scalable strategy based on inkjet printing has been developed to form silver nanostructured thin films on any desired substrate. The group is currently investigating the capability to adopt electrochemical routes to durable platinum overlayers on nanoscale gold/silver films. The proposal aims to develop a molecular-level understanding of platinum overlayer formation, fabricate platinum overlayers on nanostructured metallic thin films in a scalable flow cell configuration, and characterize the electrocatalytic performance of the fabricated films.