Core-shell rhodium sulfide catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction / hydrogen oxidation reaction in hydrogen-bromine reversible fuel cell

Abstract Synthesis and characterization of high electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) core-shell Rh x S y catalysts for hydrogen evolution oxidation (HER)/hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in H 2 -Br 2 fuel cell are discussed. Catalysts with Rh x S y as shell and different percentages (5%, 10%, and 20%) of platinum on carbon as core materials are synthesized. Cyclic voltammetry is used to evaluate the Pt-equivalent mass specific ECSA and durability of these catalysts. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) techniques are utilized to characterize the bulk and surface compositions and to confirm the core-shell structure of the catalysts, respectively. Cycling test and polarization curve measurements in the H 2 -Br 2 fuel cell are used to assess the catalyst stability and performance in a fuel cell. The results show that the catalysts with core-shell structure have higher mass specific ECSA (50 m 2 gm-Rh −1 ) compared to a commercial catalyst (Rh x S y /C catalyst from BASF, 6.9 m 2 gm-Rh −1 ). It also shows better HOR/HER performance in the fuel cell. Compared to the platinum catalyst, the core-shell catalysts show more stable performance in the fuel cell cycling test.