Paula Marielle S. Ababao
AssociateElectrochemical Engineer
Quezon, Metro Manila · FEU Institute of Technology
Personal Information
Short Biography
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Educational Qualification

Masteral · Sep 2020 - Aug 2025
Master of Engineering in Applied Chemistry
Electrochemistry · . - South Korea

Tertiary · Jul 2014 - Oct 2019
Bachelor of Science in Materials Science; Engineering
Advanced Materials · .
Organizations and Memberships

Institute of Materials Engineers of the Philippines
Member · March 15, 2025 - Present
Research Publications
Powered by:Journal Article · 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2025.03.110
Mass Activity Boost in Ni@Ir Nanowire Catalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reaction in PEM Water ElectrolysisInternational Journal of Hydrogen Energy, (2025), Vol. 118, pp. 441-448
Hydrogen production via water electrolysis faces significant commercialization challenges due to the high cost and scarcity of iridium (Ir). Reducing Ir loading while maintaining high catalytic performance is critical for advancing proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolyzers. To address these challenges, this study introduces Ni@Ir core-shell nanowires (CSNW) as a cost-effective catalyst for enhancing Ir utilization in oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Ni@Ir-CSNW features an amorphous Ir shell coating crystalline Ni nanowires, achieving a high BET surface area of 417 m2 g−1 and an electrochemical surface area (ECSA) of 324 m2 g−1. With a reduced Ir loading of 22 wt.%, Ni@Ir-CSNW delivers remarkable performance, including a mass activity of 9.4 A mg−1 which is a 35-fold increase compared to conventional Ir nanoparticle (Ir-NP) catalysts. Ni@Ir-CSNW achieves an overpotential of 260 mV at 10 mA cm−2 and a favorable Tafel slope of 54 mV dec−1. Stability tests further demonstrate 68% retention of mass activity after 100 cycles. This work presents an effective strategy to enhance catalyst performance while reducing Ir usage, contributing to more sustainable and economically viable PEM water electrolysis systems.