This workshop aims to bring together experimentalists and theoreticians working in the field of fundamental fuel cell catalysis, to discuss and identify major research themes in the “surface science approach” to catalytic reactions at the solid-liquid and solid-membrane interface relevant to fuel cells. Emphasis will be on a molecular-level description of catalysis for low-temperature polymer-electrolyte membrane fuel cells, both hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells and direct alcohol fuel cells, based on well-defined systems probed with state-of-the-art experimental and theoretical tools. Catalyis issues include CO tolerance of both anode and cathode (the latter in relation to methanol crossover), oxygen reduction, and alcohol oxidation. The workshop will review progress and outline future challenges in the application of surface-sensitive techniques [vibrational spectroscopy (IR, Raman, non-linear, laser), scanning tunneling microscopy, X-Ray scattering, NMR, electrochemical techniques, etc.] and modern computational techniques (DFT, ab initio MD, kinetic Monte Carlo simulations), and in particular their combination in understanding the molecular basis of fuel cell catalysis. Important topics will be trends in reactivity and structure sensitivity, nanoparticles, “dynamic” catalysis (surface diffusion, catalyst restructuring), combining experiment and theory, comparison of electrocatalysis and gas phase catalysis, models and simulations of elementary reaction steps, new experimental techniques, and “non-traditional” catalysts such as non-metallic surfaces and enzymes.

 

Main sponsors:

 

Lorentz Center

Leiden University

Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO)

Delft Institute for Sustainable Energy (DIDE)

Royal Netherlands Academy for Arts and Sciences (KNAW)

International Society of Electrochemistry (ISE)

 

Co-sponsors:

 

Toyota

Johnson Matthey

Energy Research Center of the Netherlands (ECN)

Umicore

CMR Fuel Cells