Following ORR intermediates adsorbed on a Pt cathode catalyst during break-in of a PEM fuel cell by in operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

In operando X-ray absorption spectroscopy data using the Δµ X-ray Absorption Near Edge Spectroscopy (XANES) analysis procedure is used to follow the ORR intermediate adsorbate coverage on a working catalyst in a PEMFC during initial activation and break-in. The adsorbate coverage and log i (Tafel) curves reveal a strong correlation, i.e., an increase in adsorbate intermediate coverage poisons Pt sites thereby decreasing the current. A decrease in Pt-O bond strength commensurate with decrease in potential causes a sequence of different dominant adsorbate volcano curves to exist, namely first O, then OH, and then OOH exactly as predicted by the different ORR kinetics mechanisms. During break-in, the incipient O coverage coming from exposure to air during storage and MEA preparation is rather quickly removed, compared to the slower and more subtle nanoparticle morphological changes, such as the rounding of the Pt nanoparticle edges/corners and smoothing of the planar surfaces, driven by the nanoparticle's tendency to lower its surface energy. These morphological changes increase the Pt-Pt average coordination number, decrease the average Pt-O bond strength, and thereby decrease the coverage of ORR intermediates, allowing increase in the current.

The atomic AXAFS and Delta(mu) XANES techniques as applied to heterogeneous catalysis and electrocatalysis.

X-Ray absorption spectroscopy (XAFS) is an attractive in situ and in operando technique. In recent years, the more conventional extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) data analysis technique has been complemented by two newer analysis methods: the 'atomic' XAFS (AXAFS) technique, which analyzes the scattering from the absorber atom itself, and the Delta(mu) XANES technique, which uses a difference method to isolate the changes in the X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) due to adsorbates on a metal surface. With AXAFS it is possible to follow the electronic effect a support has on a metal particle; with Delta(mu) XANES it is possible to determine the adsorbate, the specific adsorption sites and adsorbate coverage on a metal catalyst. This unprecedented new information helps a great deal to unravel the complex kinetic mechanisms operating in working reactors or fuel cell systems. The fundamental principles and methodology for applying the AXAFS and Delta(mu) XANES techniques are given here, and then specific applications are summarized, including H adsorption on supported Pt in the gas phase, water activation at a Pt cathode and methanol oxidation at a Pt anode in an electrochemical cell, sulfur oxidation on Pt, and oxygen reduction on a Au/SnO(x) cathode. Finally, the future outlook for time and/or space resolved applications of these techniques is contemplated.

Determination of O and OH adsorption sites and coverage in situ on Pt electrodes from Pt L(2,3) X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

The adsorption of atomic oxygen and hydroxide on a platinum electrode in 0.1 M HClO4 or H2SO4 electrolytes was studied in situ with Pt L(2,3) X-ray absorption spectroscopy (EXAFS and XANES). The Pt L3 edge absorption data, mu, were collected at room temperature in transmission mode on beamline X-11A at the National Synchrotron Light Source using a custom built cell. The Pt electrode was formed of highly dispersed 1.5-3 nm particles supported on carbon. A novel difference procedure (delta mu = mu(O[H]/Pt) - mu(Pt)) utilizing the L3 XANES spectra at different applied voltages was used to isolate the effects of O[H] (O or OH) adsorption in the XANES spectra. The Deltamu results are compared with results obtained from real-space full-multiple scattering calculations utilizing the FEFF8 code on model clusters. The experimental results, when compared with theoretical calculations, allow the adsorption site to be identified. At low coverages OH adsorbs primarily in 1-fold coordinated atop sites. As the coverage increases, O binds in the bridge/fcc sites, and at still higher coverages above 1.05 V RHE, O adsorbs into a higher coordinated n-fold or subsurface site, which is thought to be the result of Pt-O site exchange and oxide formation. These results are similar to those found in the gas phase. Direct specific adsorption of bisulfate anions in H2SO4 is spectroscopically seen in both the EXAFS and XANES data and is seen to impede oxygen adsorption consistent with previous reports.