Shyam Kocha

Artifacts in Measuring Electrode Catalyst Area of Fuel Cells through Cyclic Voltammetry

Cyclic Voltammetry (CV) is a well-established technique to measure the electrochemically active surface area (ECA) of a catalyst in an electrode through hydrogen adsorption/desorption (HAD)[1]. In the field of proton exchange memebrane fuel cells this method can be applied over a wide range of scales ranging from rotating disc electrodes (RDE) to single-cell and even multiplecell stacks where the working electrode is part of a membrane-electrode assembly (MEA). It is important, however, to recognize there are two convoluted processes occurring at low potential (ca. Evs RHE < 0.1 V): HAD and hydrogen evolution.