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A research team led by the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Argonne National Laboratory used x-ray beams to gain new insights into materials crucial to hydrogen production and usage. The objective is to enhance the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of hydrogen production and usage, providing a superior fuel option for transportation and industry.

“Efficient hydrogen production is paramount,” stated Hoydoo You, a senior physicist at Argonne. “Hydrogen, being the lightest energy storage material, can be produced from water using renewable or excess energy, transported as fuel, and converted back to water to generate energy for consumers. Platinum and its alloys excel at catalyzing and enhancing the water-splitting process by accelerating electron exchange.”

Understanding and developing materials that facilitate efficient hydrogen production and usage are pivotal to the hydrogen economy. The researchers took the initial step in developing a tool to characterize materials in greater detail, ultimately identifying the best materials for hydrogen production and use.

“This will reduce the cost and environmental impact of hydrogen production and usage,” added You.

The research team utilized the Advanced Photon Source (APS), a DOE Office of Science user facility at Argonne. Working at the APS, researchers directed an intense x-ray beam at a single platinum grain. Diffraction patterns from the grain were collected using an x-ray detector and then converted into sample images through customized computer algorithms.

To control the chemical reaction occurring on the platinum grain and produce hydrogen in an electrolyzer, the researchers employed a nanodroplet chemical cell, created using a tiny pipette tip. An electrolyzer is a device that utilizes electricity to produce hydrogen fuel from water, while a fuel cell, in a reverse operation, converts hydrogen fuel back into electricity.

“The reaction was controlled by applying voltage, directed through an electrolyte in the nanopipette onto the grain under study,” explained Argonne physicist Matt Highland, the designer of the initial prototype of this new tool. The prototype enabled investigation of a single nanograin and paved the way for future scanning capabilities across all grains in a realistic electrolyzer or fuel cell once the APS upgrade is completed. Highland also contributed to data collection and experiments.

Argonne physicists Ross Harder and Wonsuk Cha operated at the APS beamline 34-ID-C, where the experiments took place, and assisted in integrating the new electrochemistry tool into the existing instrument.

“The ability to perform localized electrochemistry while gaining new insights into particle-level interactions is truly remarkable,” exclaimed Harder.

Presently, the APS delivers x-ray beams that are up to a billion times brighter than those employed by dentists. However, an extensive upgrade will further enhance its power. Once the upgraded APS becomes operational in 2024, its x-ray beams will be up to 500 times brighter than they are today. Consequently, techniques like the one employed in this research will be significantly improved post-upgrade.

“The APS upgrade will enable real-time observations of material processes,” highlighted Harder. “Measurement times could become fast enough to move from one particle to another, observing their interactions with the electrochemical environment and each other.”

“Real-time imaging of grains is essential to understanding key processes such as battery charging and corrosion,” said Argonne assistant physicist Dina Sheyfer. “We believe that the increased brightness of the APS upgrade, coupled with our new tool, will facilitate studies that are currently beyond our reach.”

For more information: American Chemical Society’s Nano Letters

Image: An intense x-ray beam (in pink) is focused into a small spot on a single nanoscale grain of a platinum electrode (highlighted within the droplet). Diffraction interference patterns from that grain were collected on an x-ray detector (the black screen).