Performance of palladium electrode for electrochemical hydrogen pump using strontium-zirconate-based proton conductors

An electrode design with no use of three-phase boundary was investigated using palladium electrode. The hydrogen evolution rate of the palladium electrode cell using SrZr0.9Y0.1O3 − α electrolyte followed Faraday’s law up to 180 mA cm−2, and the anode and cathode overpotentials were significantly lower than those of a platinum electrode cell, suggesting that the palladium electrode is effective to improve the performance of the hydrogen-pumping cell using SrZrO3-based electrolyte. The rate-determining step (RDS) for electrode reaction was also investigated by changing the electrode morphology and hydrogen partial pressure, and it was suggested that the RDS of the anode is a reaction at electrode/electrolyte interface.