Development of silver-gas diffusion electrodes for the oxygen reduction reaction by electrodeposition

Silver-gas diffusion electrodes (Ag-GDE) were prepared by direct deposition of the catalyst onto a carbon paper support by electrodeposition. This deposition technique, under potentiostatic and galvanostatic mode, allows the production of well dispersed ultra-low Ag loading levels. The catalytic activity of the prepared materials towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was investigated in the alkaline solution and its tolerance to methanol was evaluated. Based on an Ag-ink prepared from the electrodeposit material and RDE experiments, it was concluded that the ORR occurs via a four-electron pathway on the Ag electrodeposit. The combination of reasonably high catalytic activity, efficiency, low price, facile and green synthesis makes the electrodeposited Ag-GDE attractive for the ORR in alkaline fuel cells.