In operando fuel cell and experimental design for XAS

Probing particle structure and mechanism simultaneously X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) has proven to be an extremely versatile technique to understand reaction mechanisms and structure-activity relationships. Using XAS and an in operando fuel cell setup such vital information as catalyst size and composition as well as surface adsorbate coverage are accessible simultaneously and their variations with time, potential and temperature can be monitored. The optimal design of in situ hydrogen and direct alcohol fuel cells will be discussed highlighting some of the experimental challenges a working fuel cell introduces. One example to be discussed includes ethanol oxidation in a PtRu anode in a PEM fuel cell with 2 minutes time resolution.