Joint symposium of Japan-Spain on Heterogeneous Catalysis - 2015, Tarragona, Spain.

Symposium was held at ICIQ, Tarragona, Spain during 22-23 June 2015.

Operando X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy & Design of PEM Electrolyser for In-Situ Analysis

Visited the Alba Synchrotron Facility (Barcelona, Spain) 

for in-situ analysis of electrode materials of PEM electrolyser.

 Alba Synchrotron: https://www.cells.es

PEM cell under investigation:

Led the engineering and modification of a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) electrolyser tailored specifically for in-situ/operando X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) studies. Conducted at the ALBA Synchrotron Facility in Barcelona, Spain, this project aimed to uncover the active states of electrocatalyst materials under realistic operating conditions.

Because conventional PEM water electrolysis technology faces cost restrictions due to reliance on platinum group metals, this research explored alternatives by investigating novel materials—such as cobalt oxide for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). To facilitate this, a standard PEM electrolyser was modified with custom X-ray transparent windows, enabling real-time structural tracking during active water splitting. The operando experiments at ALBA's BL22-CLÆSS beamline successfully clarified the dynamic oxidation state changes of the active catalytic materials while under working electrochemical potentials. This bridged the gap between conventional electrochemical testing and advanced physical characterization.

Project Details:

• Custom Cell Engineering: Redesigned a conventional PEM electrolysis cell using CAD, integrating X-ray transparent windows to support operando XAFS measurements without sacrificing electrochemical integrity.

• Advanced Synchrotron Analysis: Executed complex in-situ investigations at the ALBA Synchrotron Facility to monitor the local structure and electronic states of electrocatalysts in real-time.

• Dynamic State Characterization: Evaluated novel HER electrocatalysts (e.g., cobalt oxide) to determine their dynamic oxidation state transitions and structural shifts during active water electrolysis.

• Scientific Contribution: Successfully demonstrated the practical application of this modified cell design, culminating in the publication of our operando findings in the high-impact journal Catalysis Today.