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Volume 11
Issue 4
10.3390/gels11040229
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Article

Sol–Gel-Synthesized Pt, Ni and Co-Based Electrocatalyst Effects of the Support Type, Characterization, and Possible Application in AEM-URFC

by
Elitsa Stanislavova Petkucheva
1,*,
Borislava Mladenova
1,
Mohsin Muhyuddin
2,
Mariela Dimitrova
1,
Galin Rusev Borisov
1,
Carlo Santoro
2 and
Evelina Slavcheva
1
1
“Acad. Evgeni Budevski” Institute of Electrochemistry and Energy Systems (IEES), Bulgarian Academy of Sciences (BAS), Acad. G. Bonchev Str., bl. 10, 1113 Sofia, Bulgaria
2
Electrocatalysis and Bioelectrocatalysis Laboratory (EBLab), Department of Materials Science, University of Milano-Bicocca, Building U5, Via Cozzi 55, 20125 Milan, Italy
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Gels 2025, 11(4), 229; https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040229
Submission received: 3 March 2025 / Revised: 16 March 2025 / Accepted: 18 March 2025 / Published: 22 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Gels for Flexible Electronics and Energy Devices (2nd Edition))
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Abstract

This study explores the synthesis and characterization of platinum (Pt), nickel (Ni), and cobalt (Co)-based electrocatalysts using the sol–gel method. The focus is on the effect of different support materials on the catalytic performance in alkaline media. The sol–gel technique enables the production of highly uniform electrocatalysts, supported on carbon-based substrates, metal oxides, and conductive polymers. Various characterization techniques, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), were used to analyze the structure of the synthesized materials, while their electrochemical properties, which are relevant to their application in unitized regenerative fuel cells (URFCs), were investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). This hydrogen energy-converting device integrates water electrolyzers and fuel cells into a single system, reducing weight, volume, and cost. However, their performance is constrained by the electrocatalyst’s oxygen bifunctional activity. To improve URFC efficiency, an ideal electrocatalyst should exhibit high oxygen evolution (OER) and oxygen reduction (ORR) activity with a low bifunctionality index (BI). The present study evaluated the prepared electrocatalysts in an alkaline medium, finding that Pt25-Co75/XC72R and Pt75-Co25/N82 demonstrated promising bifunctional activity. The results suggest that these electrocatalysts are well-suited for both electrolysis and fuel cell operation in anion exchange membrane-unitized regenerative fuel cells (AEM-URFCs), contributing to improved round-trip efficiency.
Keywords: sol–gel method; electocatalysts; bifunctional; Pt; Co; Ni; Magnelli phases titania; carbon; PEM-URFC sol–gel method; electocatalysts; bifunctional; Pt; Co; Ni; Magnelli phases titania; carbon; PEM-URFC
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MDPI and ACS Style

Petkucheva, E.S.; Mladenova, B.; Muhyuddin, M.; Dimitrova, M.; Borisov, G.R.; Santoro, C.; Slavcheva, E. Sol–Gel-Synthesized Pt, Ni and Co-Based Electrocatalyst Effects of the Support Type, Characterization, and Possible Application in AEM-URFC. Gels 2025, 11, 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040229

AMA Style

Petkucheva ES, Mladenova B, Muhyuddin M, Dimitrova M, Borisov GR, Santoro C, Slavcheva E. Sol–Gel-Synthesized Pt, Ni and Co-Based Electrocatalyst Effects of the Support Type, Characterization, and Possible Application in AEM-URFC. Gels. 2025; 11(4):229. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040229

Chicago/Turabian Style

Petkucheva, Elitsa Stanislavova, Borislava Mladenova, Mohsin Muhyuddin, Mariela Dimitrova, Galin Rusev Borisov, Carlo Santoro, and Evelina Slavcheva. 2025. "Sol–Gel-Synthesized Pt, Ni and Co-Based Electrocatalyst Effects of the Support Type, Characterization, and Possible Application in AEM-URFC" Gels 11, no. 4: 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040229

APA Style

Petkucheva, E. S., Mladenova, B., Muhyuddin, M., Dimitrova, M., Borisov, G. R., Santoro, C., & Slavcheva, E. (2025). Sol–Gel-Synthesized Pt, Ni and Co-Based Electrocatalyst Effects of the Support Type, Characterization, and Possible Application in AEM-URFC. Gels, 11(4), 229. https://doi.org/10.3390/gels11040229

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