Elucidation of the different reaction mechanisms and pathways offered by the AOR

Green hydrogen produced from renewable electricity through water electrolysis can be converted via the energy-efficient Haber-Bosch process into green ammonia (NH3). Currently, large industrial efforts are under way to scale up production globally.

With an expected surge in green NH3 supply, the question arises whether the stored energy can be released electrochemically in NH3 fuel cells.

However, so far, high ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) overpotentials and particularly a NO-poisoning mechanism have prevented application of low-temperature NH3 fuel cells.

Therefore, this project focuses on the elucidation of key reaction mechanisms and pathways offered by the AOR (EluMecAOR).

In particular, I hypothesize that metal oxide modifications on the Pt surface offer a way to reduce the AOR overpotential independently from the deactivation mechanism.

To test this hypothesis, the catalyst surface composition will be modified using atomic layer deposition (ALD) of metal oxide clusters and characterized in detail, including fundamental electrochemical and operando microscopy and spectroscopy methods.

This Marie Curie Fellowship combines my own expertise on fundamental Pt electrochemistry and the effects of metal oxide modifications with the world-leading expertise of the Interface Science Department at the Fritz-Haber Institute of the Max-Planck-Society on controlled nanoparticle synthesis and operando electrocatalyst research.