57
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
R. Adzic, N. Marinkovic, Platinum Monolayer Electrocatalysts,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49566-4_6
Chapter 6
Important Electrocatalytic Reactions
Many fuels can be used in fuel cells to produce electricity, but a relatively small
number is suitable for generating power with satisfactory efficiency, that is have fast
reaction kinetics and high energy densities. Only H 2 is an ideal fuel considering
these requirements. Other fuels that have application potential include: ethanol,
methanol, formic acid, dimethyl ether, glycol, and ammonia. Hydrazine is not considered because of its carcinogenicity.
For cathodic reaction, only O 2 reduction is suitable for practical applications
because air is used as its source. This reaction is still a major challenge for electrocatalysis. For increased fuel cell efficiency, the catalysts for the oxygen reduction
reaction (ORR) need further improvement.
Opposite reactions to the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and the ORR in the
H 2 /O 2 fuel cell are the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution
reaction (OER) in water electrolysis. Water electrolysis is used for H 2 generation in
hydrogen filling stations. While the HER like the HOR is facile, the OER is a challenge for electrocatalysis. A short overview of several fuel cell and water electrolysis reactions is given below.
6.1 Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Oxygen reduction is one of the most important electrocatalytic reactions because of
its role in electrochemical energy conversion, several industrial processes, and corrosion. It continues to be a challenge for electrochemists because of its complex
kinetics and the need for better electrocatalysts. The most notable need remains the
improvement of the catalytic activity of the existing catalysts, and the development
of a new and better class of catalysts with low noble metal content. Despite a lack
of a detailed mechanistic understanding of the reaction on many surfaces, considerable insights as to the course of the reaction have been acquired over the several
decades of intensive investigation of this reaction.
© Springer Nature Switzerland AG 2020
R. Adzic, N. Marinkovic, Platinum Monolayer Electrocatalysts,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-49566-4_6
Chapter 6
Important Electrocatalytic Reactions
Many fuels can be used in fuel cells to produce electricity, but a relatively small
number is suitable for generating power with satisfactory efficiency, that is have fast
reaction kinetics and high energy densities. Only H 2 is an ideal fuel considering
these requirements. Other fuels that have application potential include: ethanol,
methanol, formic acid, dimethyl ether, glycol, and ammonia. Hydrazine is not considered because of its carcinogenicity.
For cathodic reaction, only O 2 reduction is suitable for practical applications
because air is used as its source. This reaction is still a major challenge for electrocatalysis. For increased fuel cell efficiency, the catalysts for the oxygen reduction
reaction (ORR) need further improvement.
Opposite reactions to the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and the ORR in the
H 2 /O 2 fuel cell are the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution
reaction (OER) in water electrolysis. Water electrolysis is used for H 2 generation in
hydrogen filling stations. While the HER like the HOR is facile, the OER is a challenge for electrocatalysis. A short overview of several fuel cell and water electrolysis reactions is given below.
6.1 Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Oxygen reduction is one of the most important electrocatalytic reactions because of
its role in electrochemical energy conversion, several industrial processes, and corrosion. It continues to be a challenge for electrochemists because of its complex
kinetics and the need for better electrocatalysts. The most notable need remains the
improvement of the catalytic activity of the existing catalysts, and the development
of a new and better class of catalysts with low noble metal content. Despite a lack
of a detailed mechanistic understanding of the reaction on many surfaces, considerable insights as to the course of the reaction have been acquired over the several
decades of intensive investigation of this reaction.