The development of innovative technologies based on employing green energy carriers, such as hydr... more The development of innovative technologies based on employing green energy carriers, such as hydrogen, is becoming high in demand, especially in the automotive sector, as a result of the challenges associated with sustainable mobility. In the present review, a detailed overview of the entire hydrogen supply chain is proposed, spanning from its production to storage and final use in cars. Notably, the main focus is on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) as the fuel-cell type most typically used in fuel cell electric vehicles. The analysis also includes a cost assessment of the various systems involved; specifically, the materials commonly employed to manufacture fuel cells, stacks, and hydrogen storage systems are considered, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of the selected strategies, together with assessing the solutions to current problems. Moreover, as a sought-after parallelism, a comparison is also proposed and discussed between traditional diesel or gasolin...
Indigo Blue (IB) is a dye widely used by the textile sector for dyeing cellulose cotton fibers an... more Indigo Blue (IB) is a dye widely used by the textile sector for dyeing cellulose cotton fibers and jeans, being considered a recalcitrant substance, and therefore resistant to traditional treatments. Several methodologies are reported in the literature for the removal or degradation of dyes from the aqueous medium, among which photoelectrocatalysis stands out, which presents promising results in the degradation of dyes when a dimensionally stable anode (DSA) is used as a photoanode. In the present work, we sought to investigate the efficiency of a Ti/RuO2-TiO2 DSA modified with tin and tantalum for the degradation of Indigo Blue dye by photoelectrocatalysis. For this, electrodes were prepared by the thermal decomposition method and then a physical–chemical and electrochemical analysis of the material was carried out. The composition Ti/RuO2-TiO2-SnO2Ta2O5 (30:40:10:20) was compared to Ti/RuO2-TiO2 (30:70) in the photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis tests. The ...
An efficient ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is required to enhance energy production in alcohol... more An efficient ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is required to enhance energy production in alcohol-based fuel cells. The use of bimetallic catalysts promises decreasing reliance on platinum group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts by minimizing the use of these expensive materials in the overall electrocatalyst composition. In this article, an alternative method of bimetallic electrocatalyst synthesis based on the use of polymeric precursors is explored. PdAg/C electrocatalysts were synthesized by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors and used as the anode electrocatalyst for EOR. Different compositions, including pristine Pd/C and Ag/C, as well as bimetallic Pd80Ag20/C, and Pd60Ag40/C electrocatalysts, were evaluated. Synthesized catalysts were characterized, and electrochemical activity evaluated. X-ray diffraction showed a notable change at diffraction peak values for Pd80Ag20/C and Pd60Ag40/C electrocatalysts, suggesting alloying (solid solution) and smaller crystallite sizes f...
Hydrogen is a green energy vector that is considered to be one of the most promising fuels for th... more Hydrogen is a green energy vector that is considered to be one of the most promising fuels for the future [...]
Hydrogen (H2) is a promising replacement energy carrier and storage molecular due to its high ene... more Hydrogen (H2) is a promising replacement energy carrier and storage molecular due to its high energy density by weight. For the constraint of size and weight in vehicles, the onboard hydrogen storage system has to be small and lightweight. Therefore, a lot of research is devoted to finding an efficient method of hydrogen storage based on both mechanical compression and sorption on solid-state materials. An overview of the current research trend and perspectives on materials-based hydrogen storage including both physical and chemical storage is provided in the present paper. Part of this chapter was dedicated to recent results on two innovative materials: hybrid materials based on manganese oxide anchored to a polymeric matrix and natural volcanic powders. A prototype H2 tank, filled with the developed hybrid material, was realized and integrated into a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) single fuel cell (FC) demonstrating the material capability to coupling with the FC.
ABSTRACT In this work we investigated polyvinyl alcohol films which we crosslinked at various cro... more ABSTRACT In this work we investigated polyvinyl alcohol films which we crosslinked at various crosslinking degrees by oxalic and citric acids for the fuel cell applications. We studied the effects of the crosslinking on structure, thermal properties, electric conductivity and dielectric relaxations. The glass transition temperature is increased indicating the lowering of the local mobility of the polymer chains. X-ray diffraction showed the presence of non-dissociated acid phases in dried samples. The Dc conductivity increases by increasing both the relative humidity and the temperature obeying to an Arrhenius law with activation energy compatible with proton conductivity type. The Ac conductivity studied between 10−1 Hz and 1 MHz showed a power law response in the high frequency range. This behavior characterizes the charge transport in disordered materials. At low frequencies the Ac conductivity is governed by the electrode/sample interface polarization. The use of the dielectric permittivity indicates the presence of a relaxation process attributed to electrode/sample interface polarization and another relaxation process attributed to alpha relaxation of the polyvinyl alcohol chains.
Hydrogen is a reliable energy vector and its storage is strongly connected to the costs, performa... more Hydrogen is a reliable energy vector and its storage is strongly connected to the costs, performance and level of safety of the storage system components. Several materials for physical and chemical hydrogen storage have been proposed, but few research works were devoted to polymers, that generally are low cost and weight materials, easy to be managed and manufactured. In this work, a functionalised Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) polymer was studied and chosen as a base polymeric matrix with the aim to produce both a low cost and low weight hydrogen storage material. The polymer was in situ functionalised starting from a manganese oxide precursor. The obtained oxide, bonded to the polymer chain, allows the hydrogen storage. In this work, the functionalisation process and preliminary results of the hydrogen storage capability are reported.From Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and surface area measurements (BET), it has been verified that the metallic compound introduction modifies...
Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 2021
Physical and electrochemical properties of Pd catalysts combined with Ru and Mo on carbon support... more Physical and electrochemical properties of Pd catalysts combined with Ru and Mo on carbon support were investigated. To this end, Pd, Pd1.3Ru1.0, Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0 and Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0 were synthesized on Carbon Vulcan XC72 support by the method of thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors and then physically and electrochemically characterized. The highest reaction yields are obtained for Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0/C and Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C and, as demonstrated by thermal analysis, they also show the smallest metal/carbon ratio compared the other catalysts. XRD (X-ray Diffraction) and Raman analyses show the presence of PdO and RuO2 for the Pd/C and the Pd1.3Ru1.0/C catalysts, respectively, a fact not observed for the Pd3.2Ru1.3 Mo1.0 /C and the Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C catalysts. The catalytic activities were tested for the ethanol oxidation in alkaline medium. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows Pd1.3Ru1.0/C exhibiting the highest peak of current density, followed by Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0/C, Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C ...
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) are one of the most promising power generation systems. Th... more Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) are one of the most promising power generation systems. The main component of a PEFC is the proton exchange membrane (PEM), object of intense research to improve the efficiency of the cell. The most commonly and commercially successful used PEMs are Nafion™ perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes, taken as a reference for the development of innovative and alternative membranes. Usually, these membranes undergo different pre-treatments to enhance their characteristics. With the aim of understanding the utility and the effects of such pre-treatments, in this study, a commercial Nafion™ NR212 membrane was subjected to two different chemical pre-treatments, before usage. HNO3 or H2O2 were selected as chemical agents because the most widely used ones in the procedure protocols in order to prepare the membrane in a well-defined reference state. The pre-treated membranes properties were compared to an untreated membrane, used as-received. The investig...
A commercial hygroscope SiO2 was used as an inorganic filler in a Nafion® polymeric matrix. The i... more A commercial hygroscope SiO2 was used as an inorganic filler in a Nafion® polymeric matrix. The influence on chemical-physical properties and electrochemical behaviour in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) was investigated in terms of amount and particle ...
The development of innovative technologies based on employing green energy carriers, such as hydr... more The development of innovative technologies based on employing green energy carriers, such as hydrogen, is becoming high in demand, especially in the automotive sector, as a result of the challenges associated with sustainable mobility. In the present review, a detailed overview of the entire hydrogen supply chain is proposed, spanning from its production to storage and final use in cars. Notably, the main focus is on Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFC) as the fuel-cell type most typically used in fuel cell electric vehicles. The analysis also includes a cost assessment of the various systems involved; specifically, the materials commonly employed to manufacture fuel cells, stacks, and hydrogen storage systems are considered, emphasizing the strengths and weaknesses of the selected strategies, together with assessing the solutions to current problems. Moreover, as a sought-after parallelism, a comparison is also proposed and discussed between traditional diesel or gasolin...
Indigo Blue (IB) is a dye widely used by the textile sector for dyeing cellulose cotton fibers an... more Indigo Blue (IB) is a dye widely used by the textile sector for dyeing cellulose cotton fibers and jeans, being considered a recalcitrant substance, and therefore resistant to traditional treatments. Several methodologies are reported in the literature for the removal or degradation of dyes from the aqueous medium, among which photoelectrocatalysis stands out, which presents promising results in the degradation of dyes when a dimensionally stable anode (DSA) is used as a photoanode. In the present work, we sought to investigate the efficiency of a Ti/RuO2-TiO2 DSA modified with tin and tantalum for the degradation of Indigo Blue dye by photoelectrocatalysis. For this, electrodes were prepared by the thermal decomposition method and then a physical–chemical and electrochemical analysis of the material was carried out. The composition Ti/RuO2-TiO2-SnO2Ta2O5 (30:40:10:20) was compared to Ti/RuO2-TiO2 (30:70) in the photocatalysis, electrocatalysis, and photoelectrocatalysis tests. The ...
An efficient ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is required to enhance energy production in alcohol... more An efficient ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is required to enhance energy production in alcohol-based fuel cells. The use of bimetallic catalysts promises decreasing reliance on platinum group metal (PGM) electrocatalysts by minimizing the use of these expensive materials in the overall electrocatalyst composition. In this article, an alternative method of bimetallic electrocatalyst synthesis based on the use of polymeric precursors is explored. PdAg/C electrocatalysts were synthesized by thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors and used as the anode electrocatalyst for EOR. Different compositions, including pristine Pd/C and Ag/C, as well as bimetallic Pd80Ag20/C, and Pd60Ag40/C electrocatalysts, were evaluated. Synthesized catalysts were characterized, and electrochemical activity evaluated. X-ray diffraction showed a notable change at diffraction peak values for Pd80Ag20/C and Pd60Ag40/C electrocatalysts, suggesting alloying (solid solution) and smaller crystallite sizes f...
Hydrogen is a green energy vector that is considered to be one of the most promising fuels for th... more Hydrogen is a green energy vector that is considered to be one of the most promising fuels for the future [...]
Hydrogen (H2) is a promising replacement energy carrier and storage molecular due to its high ene... more Hydrogen (H2) is a promising replacement energy carrier and storage molecular due to its high energy density by weight. For the constraint of size and weight in vehicles, the onboard hydrogen storage system has to be small and lightweight. Therefore, a lot of research is devoted to finding an efficient method of hydrogen storage based on both mechanical compression and sorption on solid-state materials. An overview of the current research trend and perspectives on materials-based hydrogen storage including both physical and chemical storage is provided in the present paper. Part of this chapter was dedicated to recent results on two innovative materials: hybrid materials based on manganese oxide anchored to a polymeric matrix and natural volcanic powders. A prototype H2 tank, filled with the developed hybrid material, was realized and integrated into a polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) single fuel cell (FC) demonstrating the material capability to coupling with the FC.
ABSTRACT In this work we investigated polyvinyl alcohol films which we crosslinked at various cro... more ABSTRACT In this work we investigated polyvinyl alcohol films which we crosslinked at various crosslinking degrees by oxalic and citric acids for the fuel cell applications. We studied the effects of the crosslinking on structure, thermal properties, electric conductivity and dielectric relaxations. The glass transition temperature is increased indicating the lowering of the local mobility of the polymer chains. X-ray diffraction showed the presence of non-dissociated acid phases in dried samples. The Dc conductivity increases by increasing both the relative humidity and the temperature obeying to an Arrhenius law with activation energy compatible with proton conductivity type. The Ac conductivity studied between 10−1 Hz and 1 MHz showed a power law response in the high frequency range. This behavior characterizes the charge transport in disordered materials. At low frequencies the Ac conductivity is governed by the electrode/sample interface polarization. The use of the dielectric permittivity indicates the presence of a relaxation process attributed to electrode/sample interface polarization and another relaxation process attributed to alpha relaxation of the polyvinyl alcohol chains.
Hydrogen is a reliable energy vector and its storage is strongly connected to the costs, performa... more Hydrogen is a reliable energy vector and its storage is strongly connected to the costs, performance and level of safety of the storage system components. Several materials for physical and chemical hydrogen storage have been proposed, but few research works were devoted to polymers, that generally are low cost and weight materials, easy to be managed and manufactured. In this work, a functionalised Poly(ether ether ketone) (PEEK) polymer was studied and chosen as a base polymeric matrix with the aim to produce both a low cost and low weight hydrogen storage material. The polymer was in situ functionalised starting from a manganese oxide precursor. The obtained oxide, bonded to the polymer chain, allows the hydrogen storage. In this work, the functionalisation process and preliminary results of the hydrogen storage capability are reported.From Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and surface area measurements (BET), it has been verified that the metallic compound introduction modifies...
Materials for Renewable and Sustainable Energy, 2021
Physical and electrochemical properties of Pd catalysts combined with Ru and Mo on carbon support... more Physical and electrochemical properties of Pd catalysts combined with Ru and Mo on carbon support were investigated. To this end, Pd, Pd1.3Ru1.0, Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0 and Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0 were synthesized on Carbon Vulcan XC72 support by the method of thermal decomposition of polymeric precursors and then physically and electrochemically characterized. The highest reaction yields are obtained for Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0/C and Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C and, as demonstrated by thermal analysis, they also show the smallest metal/carbon ratio compared the other catalysts. XRD (X-ray Diffraction) and Raman analyses show the presence of PdO and RuO2 for the Pd/C and the Pd1.3Ru1.0/C catalysts, respectively, a fact not observed for the Pd3.2Ru1.3 Mo1.0 /C and the Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C catalysts. The catalytic activities were tested for the ethanol oxidation in alkaline medium. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows Pd1.3Ru1.0/C exhibiting the highest peak of current density, followed by Pd3.2Ru1.3Mo1.0/C, Pd1.5Ru0.8Mo1.0/C ...
Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) are one of the most promising power generation systems. Th... more Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) are one of the most promising power generation systems. The main component of a PEFC is the proton exchange membrane (PEM), object of intense research to improve the efficiency of the cell. The most commonly and commercially successful used PEMs are Nafion™ perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) membranes, taken as a reference for the development of innovative and alternative membranes. Usually, these membranes undergo different pre-treatments to enhance their characteristics. With the aim of understanding the utility and the effects of such pre-treatments, in this study, a commercial Nafion™ NR212 membrane was subjected to two different chemical pre-treatments, before usage. HNO3 or H2O2 were selected as chemical agents because the most widely used ones in the procedure protocols in order to prepare the membrane in a well-defined reference state. The pre-treated membranes properties were compared to an untreated membrane, used as-received. The investig...
A commercial hygroscope SiO2 was used as an inorganic filler in a Nafion® polymeric matrix. The i... more A commercial hygroscope SiO2 was used as an inorganic filler in a Nafion® polymeric matrix. The influence on chemical-physical properties and electrochemical behaviour in Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells (PEFCs) was investigated in terms of amount and particle ...
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Papers by Rolando Pedicini