Speaker
Description
Titanium oxide is a promising corrosion-resistant catalyst support for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells; however, its low electrical conductivity limits performance. In this work, titanium oxynitride materials were synthesized via two routes: a sol–gel method followed by thermal nitridation at 650 °C, and a hydrothermal synthesis calcined at 750 °C. Nitrogen incorporation was controlled using varying titanium precursor-to-urea ratios. X-ray diffraction revealed rutile phase for sol–gel and anatase structures for hydrothermal samples. Raman spectroscopy indicated lattice distortion and defect formation, while UV–Vis analysis showed enhanced visible-light absorption due to defect states. EDS showed 10.52% N incorporation while SEM showed highly agglomerated and porous structures. . The composition with 23.93% nitrogen exhibited the most significant structural and electronic modification across both synthesis routes, suggesting an optimal nitridation level. These results demonstrate that controlled nitrogen incorporation can effectively tune TiO₂ properties for improved ORR activity, supporting the development of sustainable fuel cell technologies.
| Apply for student award at which level: | PhD |
|---|---|
| Consent on use of personal information: Abstract Submission | Yes, I ACCEPT |