Method of fabricating electrode catalyst layers with directionally oriented carbon support for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Patent · Tue Jul 20 00:00:00 EDT 2010

OSTI ID:1012823

Liu, Di-Jia ^[1]; Yang, Junbing ^[2]

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1. Naperville, IL
2. Willow brook, IL

A method of making a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) having an anode and a cathode and a proton conductive membrane there between. A bundle of longitudinally aligned carbon nanotubes with a catalytically active transition metal incorporated in the nanotubes forms at least one portion of the MEA and is in contact with the membrane. A combination selected from one or more of a hydrocarbon and an organometallic compound containing an catalytically active transition metal and a nitrogen containing compound and an inert gas and a reducing gas is introduced into a first reaction zone maintained at a first reaction temperature for a time sufficient to vaporize material therein. The vaporized material is transmitted to a second reaction zone maintained at a second reaction temperature for a time sufficient to grow longitudinally aligned carbon nanotubes with a catalytically active transition metal incorporated throughout the nanotubes. The nanotubes are in contact with a portion of the MEA at production or being positioned in contact thereafter. Methods of forming a PEMFC are also disclosed.

• Research Organization: Argonne National Laboratory (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: W-31-109-ENG-38
• Assignee: UChicago Argonne, LLC (Chicago, IL)
• Patent Number(s): 7,758,921
• Application Number: 11/368,116
• OSTI ID: 1012823
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English