Cobalt Oxyfluoride Anode Catalysts for Low Overpotential Water Electrolysis
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current water electrolysis technologies require significant overpotential to produce hydrogen and oxygen, making them commercially impractical for storing renewable energy, as existing catalysts often degrade, are costly, or do not sufficiently reduce the required energy input.
Innovation Solution
A cobalt/oxygen/fluorine-based catalyst is deposited on the anode during electrolysis, using an aqueous solution with cobalt cations and fluoride anions, allowing for efficient gas generation at ambient conditions with low overpotentials and stability, utilizing a substrate like tin oxide and electrolytic film deposition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of energy
If conventional catalysts are used for water electrolysis, then hydrogen and oxygen can be produced, but significant overpotential is required making the process energy inefficient and commercially impractical
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the catalyst by incorporating cobalt oxyfluoride species with specific oxidation states (Co(III) and Co(IV)) in a fluorinated oxide matrix. This compositional parameter change enables the catalyst to reduce overpotential while maintaining high productivity for hydrogen production through water electrolysis.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention employs a composite catalyst structure consisting of cobalt oxyfluoride clusters embedded in a fluorinated oxide matrix. This composite material combines the catalytic activity of cobalt species with the structural stability and conductivity of the fluorinated oxide support, achieving both low overpotential and high productivity simultaneously.
2Loss of energy
If existing catalysts are used to reduce overpotential, then energy efficiency improves, but the catalysts degrade under reaction conditions or are not widely available at reasonable cost
Solution Approach 1:
The invention uses cobalt, which is relatively abundant and inexpensive compared to precious metal catalysts, to create a cost-effective catalyst system. The catalyst is designed to be replenishable through electrochemical formation processes, making the system economically viable even with periodic replacement.
Solution Approach 2:
The fluorinated oxide matrix provides structural stability and protects the cobalt active sites from degradation under harsh electrolysis conditions. The composite structure maintains catalyst reliability while the abundant cobalt content keeps costs reasonable for commercial application.
3Productivity
If cobalt oxide materials are used as catalysts in hydroxide electrolyte systems, then catalytic activity is achieved, but highly basic conditions and elevated temperatures are required
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the electrolyte pH parameter from highly basic (required by conventional cobalt oxide catalysts) to neutral or mildly acidic conditions by using fluorinated electrolytes. This parameter change allows the cobalt oxyfluoride catalyst to maintain high catalytic activity at ambient temperatures, eliminating the need for elevated temperature operation.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst enables efficient hydrogen and oxygen production with reduced overpotentials, stability under oxidizing conditions, and availability of cobalt and fluoride at low costs, making the process more commercially viable for renewable energy storage.
Implementation Method 1
electrolysis reaction
Implementation Method 2
catalyst enables efficient hydrogen and oxygen production
Implementation Method 3
catalyst comprising cobalt, oxygen and fluorine is deposited on the anode
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are electrolysis catalysts formed from cobalt, oxygen and fluorine. They can be formed as a coating on an anode by conducting an electrolysis reaction using an electrolyte containing cobalt and fluoride. The catalysts will facilitate the conversion of water to hydrogen gas and oxygen gas, even at pH neutral/room temperature reaction conditions. The resulting hydrogen gas is a means of storing renewable energy for use in hydrogen powered vehicles or the like.