Electrocatalysis and Interfaces

Project Description

The Electrocatalysis and Interfaces Group was established in 2012 combining the electrocatalysis activites of the former Fuel Cell Group and the Interface analytical activities of the former Interface and Capacitor Group.
Electrocatalysis is the key topic for electrochemical energy conversion. In order to optimize rate, selectivity, energy and stability of a certain electrochemical reaction - such as oxygen reduction, oxygen evolution, hydrogen oxidation, and CO₂ reduction - proper catalysts have to be developed and optimized. The respective surface and interface analytical tools are essential for the understanding of the catalyst and are utilized in the group.

Therefore the activities of the group cover two focal points - Electrocatalysis and Interface analysis including Electrochemical capacitors.

Electrocatalysis - opens new routes towards more efficient fuel cells and other electrochemical processes e.g. CO₂ reduction. The group's main topics are investigations of the effect and utilization of oxides as support for O₂ reduction catalysts and the optimization of CO₂ reduction catalysts. Catalysts for electrolysis and reversible fuel cells are also studied in our group.

Interfaces - Surface analysis is essential for the understanding and optimization of catalytic and electrochemical interfaces and provides information about processes and electronic and molecular properties on a microscopic scale. The main topics at present are catalysis of nano particles and electrocatalysis. We also developed in situ UHV electrochemical cells for in situ studies of the electrolyte|electrode interface, in particular the ionic liquid | electrode interface.

Research on Capacitors, which continues to exist since 1995, concerns exclusively supercapacitors (electrochemical double layer capacitors utilizing very high surface area carbons) as high power electrochemical storage devices. At present the main focus is on carbon based capacitors utilizing organic electrolytes. Topics are degradation mechanisms, ionic liquids as electrolyte and graphene type electrodes.

In addition we provide support for customers within and outside PSI

Research Team

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Group members as of July 2012

• Rüdiger Kötz, head
• Tobias Binninger
• Emiliana Fabbri
• Jorge Ferreira de Araujo
• Moritz Hantel
• Mehtap Özaslan
• Annett Rabis
• Sandra Temmel (jointly with Materials Group)
• Simon Tschupp

Former Group Members

Publications (2013-2012)

• A reliable determination method of stability limits for electrochemical double layer capacitors D. Weingarth, H. Noh, A. Foelske-Schmitz, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  Electrochim. Acta 103, 119-124 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2013.04.057OG-5423
• Investigation of diluted ionic liquid 1-ethyl-3-methyl imidazolium tetrafluoroborate electrolytes for intercalation-like electrodes used in supercapacitors M.M. Hantel, A. Płatek, T. Kaspar, R. Nesper, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  Electrochim. Acta (2013)
  DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2013.04.032OG-5423
• PTFE bound activated carbon – a quasi reference electrode for ionic liquids and its application D. Weingarth, A. Foelske-Schmitz, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  ECS Trans. 50 (11), 111-117 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1149/05011.0111ecstOG-5423
• Partially reduced graphene oxide paper: A thin film electrode for electrochemical capacitors M.M. Hantel, T. Kaspar, R. Nesper, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  J. Electrochem. Soc. 160 (4), A747-A750 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1149/2.019306jesOG-5423
• Core level data of ionic liquids: Monitoring charging by in situ electrochemical X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy A. Foelske-Schmitz, D. Weingarth, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  ECS Electrochemistry Letters 2 (4), H13-H15 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1149/2.002304eelOG-5423
• Cycle versus voltage hold - Which is the better stability test for electrochemical double layer capacitors? D. Weingarth, A. Foelske-Schmitz, R. Kötz
  J. Power Sources 225, 84-88 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2012.10.019OG-5423
• Electrocatalysis for PEFCs: Oxygen reduction on nanoparticles and extended surfaces T.J. Schmidt, A. Rabis, B. Schwanitz, G.G. Scherer
  MRS Proceedings 1491 (2013)
  DOI: 10.1557/opl.2012.1738OG-5423
• In-situ electrochemical dilatometry of onion-like carbon and carbon black M. M. Hantel, V. Presser, J. K. McDonough, G. Feng, P. T. Cummings, Y. Gogotsi, and R. Kötz
  Journal of the Electrochemical Society (2012) Vol. 159, Issue 11, Pages A1897-A1903
  DOI: 10.1149/2.006212jesOG-5423
• In situ electrochemical STM study of platinum nanodot arrays on highly oriented pyrolythic graphite prepared by electron beam lithography A. Foelske-Schmitz, A. Peitz, V.A. Guzenko, D. Weingarth, G.G. Scherer, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  Surface Science 606 (2012) 1922-1933
  DOI: 10.1016/j.susc.2012.07.040OG-5423
• A Novel Model Electrode for Investigating Ion Transport inside Pores in an Electrical Double-Layer Capacitor: Monodispered Microporous Starburst Carbon Spheres Yuri Yamada, Tsuyoshi Sasaki, Narihito Tatsuda, Daniel Weingarth, Kazuhisa Yano, and Rüdiger Kötz
  Electrochimica Acta 81 (2012) 138– 148
  DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2012.07.064OG-5423
• Partially reduced graphite oxide as anode for Li-Capacitors M.M. Hantel, T. Kaspar, R. Nesper, A. Wokaun and R. Kötz
  ECS Electrochemistry Letters Volume 1, Issue 1 (2012) A1-A3
  DOI: 10.1149/2.005201eelOG-5423
• Electrochemical stability of imidazolium based ionic liquids containing cyano groups in the anion: A cyclic voltammetry, XPS and DFT study D. Weingarth, I. Czekaj, Z. Fei, A. Foelske-Schmitz, P.J. Dyson, A. Wokaun and R. Kötz
  Journal of the Electrochemical Society 159 (7) (2012) H611-H615
  DOI: 10.1149/2.001207jesOG-5423
• Electrocatalysis for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Recent Achievements and Future Challenges Annett Rabis, Paramaconi Rodriguez, and Thomas J. Schmidt
  ACS Catalysis 2012, 2, 864-890
  DOI: 10.1021/cs3000864OG-5423
• Partially reduced graphite oxide as electrode material for electrochemical double layer capacitors Moritz. M. Hantel, Tommy Kaspar, Reinhard Nesper, Alexander Wokaun, Rüdiger Kötz
  Chemistry European Journal (2012) Volume 18, Issue 29, pages 9125–9136
  DOI: 10.1002/chem.201200702OG-5423
• Hybridization of rechargeable batteries and electrochemical capacitors: principles and limits. D. Cericola, R. Kötz
  Electrochimica Acta, 72 (2012) 1-17
  DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2012.03.151OG-5423
• Sputtered Cathodes for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: Insights into Potentials, Challenges and Limitations Bernhard Schwanitz, Annett Rabis, Michael Horisberger, Günther G. Scherer, and Thomas J. Schmidt
  Chimia 66 (2012) 110–119
  DOI: 10.2533/chimia.2012.110OG-5423
• PTFE bound activated carbon - A quasi-reference electrode for ionic liquids. D. Weingarth, A. Foelske-Schmitz, A. Wokaun, R. Kötz
  Electrochemistry Communications 18 (2012) 116–118
  DOI: 10.1016/j.elecom.2012.02.040OG-5423
• Novel Electrolytes for Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitors based on 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoroisopropanol. R. Francke, D. Cericola, R. Kötz, D. Weingarth, S.R. Waldvogel
  Electrochimica Acta 62 (2012) 372-380
  DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2011.12.050OG-5423
• Azolylborates for Electrochemical Double Layer Capacitor Electrolytes. R. Francke, D. Cericola, R. Kötz and S. R. Waldvogel
  Zeitschrift für Physikalische Chemie 226 (2012) 141-149
  DOI: 10.1524/zpch.2012.0174OG-5423
• Electrocatalysis in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells: From Fundamentals to
  Applications T.J. Schmidt
  ECS Trans. 2012 volume 45, issue 2, 3-14
  DOI: 10.1149/1.3701964OG-5423