Kick-off workshop for Electrochemical Characterisation standard

The NICKEFFECT project was a key partner in the CEN/CENELEC kick-off workshop held on June 18^th, which focused on “Electrochemical characterisation at laboratory scale of non-noble porous metal-based electrodes for hydrogen generation in acidic medium”. This workshop marked the launch of a new CEN Workshop aimed at developing a CEN Workshop Agreement (CWA) to standardise critical electrochemical characterisation procedures for non-noble porous metal-based electrodes.

 

This initiative is particularly relevant to the NICKEFFECT project, which seeks to advance hydrogen production technologies by exploring alternatives to platinum-group metals (PGMs), addressing significant economic and sustainability challenges. The current lack of standardised laboratory protocols for non-noble metal-based electrodes leads to inconsistent data and difficulties in comparing results across research. This CEN Workshop aims to bridge this gap between research and industrial application by defining harmonised laboratory-scale testing protocols for non-noble electrodes used in hydrogen evolution reactions (HER) in acidic media.

 

Workshop objectives and initial proceedings

 

The CWA developed through this workshop will provide guidelines for constructing and setting up appropriate electrochemical cells, standardised techniques for evaluating catalytic activity and durability, key operating parameters, and guidance for data collection, interpretation, and reporting. It is important to note that the CWA will not cover testing protocols for full electrolyser systems or commercial-scale applications.

 

The workshop commenced with an introduction to the CEN-CENELEC standardisation system, including the concepts of CEN-CENELEC Workshops and Workshop Agreements, delivered by Claire Van Thielen, CCMC Project Manager. The roles of Chairperson and Secretary, alongside the CWA development process, were also thoroughly explained.

 

During the session, NICKEFFECT Project Coordinator, Aliona Nicolenco from CIDETEC, was confirmed as the Chairperson for the project, with Esther Bermejo from UNE appointed as the Secretariat of the CEN Workshop. NICKEFFECT, in its capacity as coordinator, then provided a comprehensive overview of the project.

 

The primary objective of the workshop was to develop a CWA led by CIDETEC. A preliminary draft of the CWA had been distributed to registered participants and made publicly available on the CEN website prior to the meeting, facilitating an informed discussion. No comments were received on the document during its public announcement phase.

 

The general structure of the Project Plan was outlined, with updates regarding the draft approval process and the current list of participants being thoroughly explained. Following this, the Project Plan was officially approved.

 

Technical discussion and key inputs

 

The CWA leader then provided a detailed exposition of the technical approach, the motivation behind the CWA, and its proposed structure, prompting a valuable debate among participants.

 

Several important inputs and decisions were collected during the discussion:

• Cell size and electrolyte ratio: Eva Pellicer (UAB) enquired about specifying cell size and the ratio between cathode size and electrolyte volume in the draft. The CWA leader agreed, confirming that a standard cell size could be specified, potentially with a range of variations to allow flexibility.
• Higher potentials in testing conditions: Roger de Paz Castany (UAB) raised the possibility of including higher potentials in the testing conditions and sought clarification on suggested parameters. The CWA leader concurred, noting that while the initial potential range aimed to minimise issues like bubble detachment, an extended potential range could be included as an optional procedure for evaluating a broader range of materials, especially for low-activity electrodes.
• Detailed information on cell dimensions and margins for change: Alexis Grigoropoulos (EXELIS) emphasised the need for detailed information on cell dimensions and suggested defining clear margins for acceptable “changes”. The CWA leader agreed that defining acceptable margins could enhance clarity, though clarified that interpreting results obtained from the protocol is beyond the CWA’s scope, as the CWA aims to harmonise testing procedures, not provide guidelines for data interpretation or certification.
• Counter electrode selection: Eva Pellicer (UAB) questioned the selection of the counter electrode. The CWA clarified that while Pt is common, the critical requirement is the separation of anodic and cathodic compartments to avoid cross-contamination, allowing for various anode types provided this condition is met. The potential for degradation of some alternative materials, such as graphite, during prolonged testing was also noted.