In situ x-ray absorption fuel cell

An in situ x-ray absorption spectroscopy cell was designed to study the structural and electronic properties of high performance polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrocatalysts. The cell was operated as a standard fuel cell and x-ray absorption data were collected simultaneously as the fuel cell operating conditions were varied. The cell was used to examine platinum–ruthenium alloy electrocatalysts incorporated in the anode of a fuel cell membrane and electrode assembly. In situ Pt LIII and Ru K edge x-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) data were collected at five selected current densities of the operating fuel cell. The XANES data show that under normal fuel cell operating conditions, the metallic nature of the Pt–Ru catalyst is retained. The cell design enabled an in situ fuel cell study at a synchrotron source in which no additional electrolytes were required.