Operating conditions redefine the governing principles of catalyst-layer fabrication
- 1Department of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences, University of Bern, Freiestrasse 3, Bern, 3012
- 2Department of Physics, University of Nevada, 1664 N. Virginia Street, Reno, NV
Abstract
Optimal catalyst-layer fabrication strategies for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are often developed under a single set of operating conditions, making it unclear whether the resulting design rules remain valid across different operating environments. Here, we show that operating conditions not only shift catalyst-layer optima but re-order the fabrication parameters governing performance. By combining application-relevant gas diffusion electrode (GDE) measurements with machine-learning analysis, we map the multidimensional fabrication–performance space of Pt/C oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst layers across humid low-temperature (30 °C, relative humidity (RH) > 80%) and dry high-temperature (120 °C, RH < 10%) regimes. The optimal catalyst-layer fabrication parameters change significantly between conditions, and their relative importance re-orders. While ionomer- and Pt-concentration-related parameters dominate performance under humid low temperature conditions, process- and deposition-related parameters become governing factors under dry high-temperature operation. These results demonstrate that catalyst-layer optimization is inherently condition-dependent and challenge the notion of universal fabrication rules. More broadly, this work establishes operating-condition-dependent design spaces as a fundamental principle of catalyst-layer engineering, providing a framework for developing electrodes optimized for the specific operating conditions of next-generation PEMFCs.
Related
- Thermodynamic principles governing MXene formation by molten salt etching
- Bottom-up design of the operating window for direct urea synthesis from first-principles molecular thermodynamics
- Two-Stage Chemical Degradation of PTFE with H- and HO-Radicals: A DFT Study Under PEMFC Operating Conditions
- Tuning the Selectivity of Glycerol Electrooxidation via Catalyst Composition and Operating Conditions
- Aging Trends and Predictive Value of Equivalent Circuit Parameters: The Role of Operating Conditions in Battery State-of-Health Estimation
BibTeX
@misc{nosberger2026operating,
title = {{Operating conditions redefine the governing principles of catalyst-layer fabrication}},
author = {Sven Nösberger and Ahmad Tirmidzi and Gustav K.H. Wiberg and Matthias Arenz},
howpublished = {ChemRxiv},
year = {2026},
month = sep,
doi = {10.26434/chemrxiv.15008324/v1},
url = {https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008324/v1},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - UNPB
TI - Operating conditions redefine the governing principles of catalyst-layer fabrication
AU - Sven Nösberger
AU - Ahmad Tirmidzi
AU - Gustav K.H. Wiberg
AU - Matthias Arenz
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/09/04
PB - ChemRxiv
DO - 10.26434/chemrxiv.15008324/v1
UR - https://chemrxiv.org/doi/full/10.26434/chemrxiv.15008324/v1
AB - Optimal catalyst-layer fabrication strategies for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) are often developed under a single set of operating conditions, making it unclear whether the resulting design rules remain valid across different operating environments. Here, we show that operating conditions not only shift catalyst-layer optima but re-order the fabrication parameters governing performance. By combining application-relevant gas diffusion electrode (GDE) measurements with machine-learning analysis, we map the multidimensional fabrication–performance space of Pt/C oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst layers across humid low-temperature (30 °C, relative humidity (RH) > 80%) and dry high-temperature (120 °C, RH < 10%) regimes. The optimal catalyst-layer fabrication parameters change significantly between conditions, and their relative importance re-orders. While ionomer- and Pt-concentration-related parameters dominate performance under humid low temperature conditions, process- and deposition-related parameters become governing factors under dry high-temperature operation. These results demonstrate that catalyst-layer optimization is inherently condition-dependent and challenge the notion of universal fabrication rules. More broadly, this work establishes operating-condition-dependent design spaces as a fundamental principle of catalyst-layer engineering, providing a framework for developing electrodes optimized for the specific operating conditions of next-generation PEMFCs.
ER -