Decoupling gas evolution from water-splitting electrodes

Pablo Peñas, Peter van der Linde, Wouter Vijselaar, Devaraj van der Meer, Detlef Lohse, Jurriaan Huskens, Han Gardeniers, Miguel A. Modestino, David Fernández Rivas

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Bubbles are known to hinder electrochemical processes in water-splitting electrodes. In this study, we present a novel method to promote gas evolution away from the electrode surface. We consider a ring microelectrode encircling a hydrophobic microcavity from which a succession of bubbles grows. The ring microelectrode, tested under alkaline water electrolysis conditions, does not suffer from bubble coverage. Consequently, the chronopotentiometric fluctuations of the cell are weaker than those associated with conventional microelectrodes. Herein, we provide fundamental understanding of the mass transfer processes governing the transient behavior of the cell potential. With the help of numerical transport models, we demonstrate that bubbles forming at the cavity reduce the concentration overpotential by lowering the surrounding concentration of dissolved gas, but may also aggravate the ohmic overpotential by blocking ion-conduction pathways. The theoretical and experimental insight gained have relevant implications in the design of efficient gas-evolving electrodes.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)H769-H776
JournalJournal of the Electrochemical Society
Volume166
Issue number15
DOIs
StatePublished - 2019

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Electronic, Optical and Magnetic Materials
  • Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
  • Surfaces, Coatings and Films
  • Electrochemistry
  • Materials Chemistry

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