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High performance platinum single atom electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Journal Article · · Nature Communications
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms15938· OSTI ID:1411030
 [1];  [2];  [3];  [4];  [5];  [6];  [5];  [1];  [4];  [6];  [7];  [7];  [8];  [9];  [1];  [1];  [1];  [10];  [3];  [5]
  1. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun (China)
  2. Univ. of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China); Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun (China)
  3. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shanghai (China)
  4. Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
  5. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian (China)
  6. Wuhan Univ., Wuhan (China)
  7. Univ. of Science and Technology of China, Anhui (China)
  8. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang (China)
  9. Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang (China); Fritz Haber Institute of the Max Planck Society, Berlin (Germany)
  10. Univ. of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing (China)
For the large-scale sustainable implementation of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells in vehicles, high-performance electrocatalysts with low platinum consumption are desirable for use as cathode material during the oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells. Here we report a carbon black-supported cost-effective, efficient and durable platinum single-atom electrocatalyst with carbon monoxide/methanol tolerance for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. The acidic single-cell with such a catalyst as cathode delivers high performance, with power density up to 680 mW cm–2 at 80 °C with a low platinum loading of 0.09 mgPt cm–2, corresponding to a platinum utilization of 0.13 gPt kW–1 in the fuel cell. Good fuel cell durability is also observed. As a result, theoretical calculations reveal that the main effective sites on such platinum single-atom electrocatalysts are single-pyridinic-nitrogen-atom-anchored single-platinum-atom centres, which are tolerant to carbon monoxide/methanol, but highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction.
Research Organization:
Argonne National Lab. (ANL), Argonne, IL (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS); National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC); USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Fuel Cell Technologies Office (EE-3F)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-06CH11357
OSTI ID:
1411030
Journal Information:
Nature Communications, Journal Name: Nature Communications Vol. 8; ISSN 2041-1723
Publisher:
Nature Publishing GroupCopyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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