Method—Practices and Pitfalls in Voltage Breakdown Analysis of Electrochemical Energy-Conversion Systems
Michael R. Gerhardt, L. M. Pant, Justin C. Bui, Andrew R. Crothers, Victoria M. Ehlinger, Julie C. Fornaciari, Jiangjin Liu, Adam Z. Weber
Abstract
Many electrochemical energy-conversion systems are evaluated by polarization curves, which report the cell voltage across a range of current densities and are a global measure of operation and state of health. Mathematical models can be used to deconstruct the measured overall voltage and identify and quantify the voltage-loss sources, such as kinetic, ohmic, and mass-transport effects. These results elucidate the best pathways for improved performance. In this work, we discuss several voltage-breakdown methods and provide examples across different low-temperature, membrane-based electrochemical systems including electrolyzers, fuel cells, and related electrochemical energy-conversion devices. We present best practices to guide experimentalists and theorists in polarization-curve breakdown analysis.