Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication
This study demonstrates a rapid and facile method for separating the central membrane and catalyst-coated material from production scrap fuel cell catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), facilitating a circular economy of technologically critical metals. A novel approach is presented using high-intensity...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Ultrasonics Sonochemistry |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725001099 |
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| author | Tanongsak Yingnakorn Ross Gordon Daniel Marin Florido Christopher E. Elgar Ben Jacobson Shida Li Paul Prentice Andrew P. Abbott Jake M. Yang |
| author_facet | Tanongsak Yingnakorn Ross Gordon Daniel Marin Florido Christopher E. Elgar Ben Jacobson Shida Li Paul Prentice Andrew P. Abbott Jake M. Yang |
| author_sort | Tanongsak Yingnakorn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | This study demonstrates a rapid and facile method for separating the central membrane and catalyst-coated material from production scrap fuel cell catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), facilitating a circular economy of technologically critical metals. A novel approach is presented using high-intensity ultrasonication with two distinct sonotrode configurations for rapid delamination at ambient temperature in water. This technique utilises cavitation, where high-frequency sound waves create, expand, and collapse microbubbles, generating high-speed jets, shockwaves, and acoustic streaming. This process effectively separates the membrane and catalyst while maintaining their overall integrity of the former. A cylindrical sonotrode (20 mm diameter) was used to optimise process parameters for smaller CCM samples to minimise time and energy consumption. To scale up the delamination process for industrial-size CCMs, a blade sonotrode (15 mm x 210 mm) was employed to enable a flow process for rapid and continuous delamination. Cavitation at the sonotrode-CCM interface was shown to facilitate the selective and rapid breakdown of the catalyst layers, enabling full delamination of the catalyst-loaded membrane within tens of seconds. This efficient and fast delamination approach offers a promising strategy for CCM recycling. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-8eb0db4c0ce54a94a69e5bb7d826149d |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 1350-4177 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ultrasonics Sonochemistry |
| spelling | doaj-art-8eb0db4c0ce54a94a69e5bb7d826149d2025-08-20T03:06:05ZengElsevierUltrasonics Sonochemistry1350-41772025-05-0111610733010.1016/j.ultsonch.2025.107330Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity UltrasonicationTanongsak Yingnakorn0Ross Gordon1Daniel Marin Florido2Christopher E. Elgar3Ben Jacobson4Shida Li5Paul Prentice6Andrew P. Abbott7Jake M. Yang8School of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom; School of Metallurgical Engineering, Suranaree University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima 30000, ThailandJohnson Matthey Technology Centre, Blounts Court Road, Sonning Common, RG4 9NH, United KingdomJohnson Matthey Technology Centre, Blounts Court Road, Sonning Common, RG4 9NH, United KingdomSchool of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United KingdomJames Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United KingdomJames Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United KingdomJames Watt School of Engineering, University of Glasgow, Glasgow G12 8QQ, United KingdomSchool of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United KingdomSchool of Chemistry, University of Leicester, Leicester LE1 7RH, United Kingdom; Corresponding author.This study demonstrates a rapid and facile method for separating the central membrane and catalyst-coated material from production scrap fuel cell catalyst-coated membranes (CCMs), facilitating a circular economy of technologically critical metals. A novel approach is presented using high-intensity ultrasonication with two distinct sonotrode configurations for rapid delamination at ambient temperature in water. This technique utilises cavitation, where high-frequency sound waves create, expand, and collapse microbubbles, generating high-speed jets, shockwaves, and acoustic streaming. This process effectively separates the membrane and catalyst while maintaining their overall integrity of the former. A cylindrical sonotrode (20 mm diameter) was used to optimise process parameters for smaller CCM samples to minimise time and energy consumption. To scale up the delamination process for industrial-size CCMs, a blade sonotrode (15 mm x 210 mm) was employed to enable a flow process for rapid and continuous delamination. Cavitation at the sonotrode-CCM interface was shown to facilitate the selective and rapid breakdown of the catalyst layers, enabling full delamination of the catalyst-loaded membrane within tens of seconds. This efficient and fast delamination approach offers a promising strategy for CCM recycling.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725001099DelaminationFuel cellHigh-intensity ultrasonicationMembraneCatalystInsonation |
| spellingShingle | Tanongsak Yingnakorn Ross Gordon Daniel Marin Florido Christopher E. Elgar Ben Jacobson Shida Li Paul Prentice Andrew P. Abbott Jake M. Yang Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication Ultrasonics Sonochemistry Delamination Fuel cell High-intensity ultrasonication Membrane Catalyst Insonation |
| title | Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication |
| title_full | Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication |
| title_fullStr | Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication |
| title_full_unstemmed | Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication |
| title_short | Fast Delamination of Fuel Cell Catalyst-Coated Membranes Using High-Intensity Ultrasonication |
| title_sort | fast delamination of fuel cell catalyst coated membranes using high intensity ultrasonication |
| topic | Delamination Fuel cell High-intensity ultrasonication Membrane Catalyst Insonation |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1350417725001099 |
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