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@article{Pedersen:2023:10.1039/d3gc03206j,
author = {Pedersen, A and Pandya, J and Leonzio, G and Serov, A and Bernardi, A and Stephens, IEL and Titirici, MM and Petit, C and Chachuat, B},
doi = {10.1039/d3gc03206j},
journal = {Green Chemistry},
pages = {10458--10471},
title = {Comparative techno-economic and life-cycle analysis of precious versus non-precious metal electrocatalysts: the case of PEM fuel cell cathodes},
url = {http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d3gc03206j},
volume = {25},
year = {2023}
}

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TY  - JOUR
AB  - Sluggish kinetics in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) require significant quantities of expensive Pt-based nanoparticles on carbon (Pt/C) at the cathode of proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This catalyst requirement hinders their large-scale implementation. Single atom Fe in N-doped C (Fe-N-C) electrocatalysts offer the best non-Pt-based ORR activities to date, but their environmental impacts have not been studied and their production costs are rarely quantified. Herein, we report a comparative life-cycle assessment and techno-economic analysis of replacing Pt/C with Fe-N-C at the cathode of an 80 kW PEMFC stack. In the baseline scenario (20 gPt/Cvs. 690 gFe-N-C), we estimate that Fe-N-C could reduce damages on ecosystems and human health by 88-90% and 30-44%, respectively, while still increasing global warming potential by 53-92% and causing a comparable impact on resource depletion. The environmental impacts of Pt/C predominantly arise from the Pt precursor while those of Fe-N-C are presently dominated by the electricity consumption. The monetized costs of environmental externalities for both Fe-N-C and Pt/C catalysts exceed their respective direct production costs. Based on catalyst performance with learning curve analysis at 500 000 PEMFC stacks per annum, we estimate replacing Pt/C with Fe-N-C would increase PEMFC stack cost from 13.8 to 41.6 USD per kW. The cost increases despite a reduction in cathode catalyst production cost from 3.41 to 0.79 USD per kW (excluding environmental externalities). To be cost-competitive with a Pt-based PEMFC stack delivering 2020 US Department of Energy target of 1160 mW cm−2 (at 0.657 V), the same stack with an Fe-N-C cathode would need to reach 874 mW cm−2, equivalent to a 200% performance improvement. These findings demonstrate the need for continued Fe-N-C activity development with sustainable synthesis routes in mind to replace Pt-based cathode catalyst in PEMFCs. Based on forecasting scenarios of
AU  - Pedersen,A
AU  - Pandya,J
AU  - Leonzio,G
AU  - Serov,A
AU  - Bernardi,A
AU  - Stephens,IEL
AU  - Titirici,MM
AU  - Petit,C
AU  - Chachuat,B
DO  - 10.1039/d3gc03206j
EP  - 10471
PY  - 2023///
SN  - 1463-9262
SP  - 10458
TI  - Comparative techno-economic and life-cycle analysis of precious versus non-precious metal electrocatalysts: the case of PEM fuel cell cathodes
T2  - Green Chemistry
UR  - http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/d3gc03206j
VL  - 25
ER  -

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Prof. Ifan E. L. Stephens

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