2026/07/20 by Fosca Conti, Daniele Andreetta, Gioele Pagot +5
Energy · Engineering · #Electrocatalysts for Energy Conversion #Fuel Cells and Related Materials #Advanced battery technologies research
paper · doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2026.149590
In chemical catalysis, understanding bond formation and cleavage processes is essential. In this study, core–shell electrocatalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are investigated, with particular emphasis on the qualitative and quantitative characterization of their surface morphology. The chemical and physical properties of the electrocatalysts are evaluated through adsorption-based methods. N₂ physisorption is employed to determine the specific surface area (S, m² g⁻¹) and to analyze micro- and mesoporosity using established mathematical models. Water adsorption measurements are conducted to assess the hydrophilic/hydrophobic behavior of the materials. Furthermore, by determining the real density of the electrocatalysts, the surface area per volume (Σ, m² cm⁻³) parameter was calculated, which is particularly useful for the design of efficient membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs). The combined morphological (surface area and porosity) and compositional analyses (CHNS, XPS, and EDX) enable the establishment of correlations with ex situ electrocatalytic performance, as evaluated by rotating ring–disk electrode (RRDE) measurements.