Title: Biaxial Strains Mediated Oxygen Reduction Electrocatalysis on Fenton Reaction Resistant L1 ₀ ‐PtZn Fuel Cell Cathode

Abstract

Abstract PtM alloy catalysts (e.g., PtFe, PtCo), especially in an intermetallic L1 ₀ structure, have attracted considerable interest due to their respectable activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, metal‐catalyzed formation of ·OH from H ₂ O ₂ (i.e., Fenton reaction) by Fe‐ or Co‐containing catalysts causes severe degradation of PEM/catalyst layers, hindering the prospects of commercial applications. Zinc is known as an antioxidant in Fenton reaction, but is rarely alloyed with Pt owing to its relatively negative redox potential. Here, sub‐4 nm intermetallic L1 ₀ ‐PtZn nanoparticles (NPs) are synthesized as high‐performance PEMFC cathode catalysts. In PEMFC tests, the L1 ₀ ‐PtZn cathode achieves outstanding activity (0.52 A mg _Pt ⁻¹ at 0.9 V _{iR ‐free} , and peak power density of 2.00 W cm ⁻² ) and stability (only 16.6% loss in mass activity after 30 000 voltage cycles), exceeding the U.S. DOE 2020 targets and most of the reported ORR catalysts. Density function theory calculations reveal that biaxial strains developed upon the disorder‐order (A1L1 ₀ ) transition of PtZn NPs would modulate the surface PtPt distances and optimize PtO binding for ORR activity enhancement, while the increasedmore » vacancy formation energy of Zn atoms in an ordered structure accounts for the improved stability.« less

Authors:

Liang, Jiashun ^[1]; Zhao, Zhonglong ^[2]; Li, Na ^[3]; Wang, Xiaoming ^[4]; Li, Shenzhou ^[1]; Liu, Xuan ^[1]; Wang, Tanyuan ^[1]; Lu, Gang ^[5]; Wang, Deli ^[6]; Hwang, Bing‐Joe ^[4]; Huang, Yunhui ^[1]; Su, Dong ^[3]; Li, Qing  ^[1]

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+ Show Author Affiliations

1. State Key Laboratory of Material Processing and Die &, Mould Technology School of Materials Science and Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan Hubei 430074 China
2. School of Physical Science and Technology Inner Mongolia University Hohhot 010021 China, Department of Physics and Astronomy California State University Northridge Northridge CA 91330 USA
3. Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter Physics Institute of Physics Chinese Academy of Sciences Beijing 100190 China, Center for Functional Nanomaterials Brookhaven National Laboratory Upton NY 11973 USA
4. Department of Chemical Engineering National Taiwan University of Science and Technology Taipei 10607 Taiwan
5. Department of Physics and Astronomy California State University Northridge Northridge CA 91330 USA
6. School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Huazhong University of Science and Technology Wuhan Hubei 430074 China

Publication Date:

Fri Jun 05 00:00:00 EDT 2020

Sponsoring Org.:

USDOE

OSTI Identifier:

1632015

Resource Type:

Journal Article: Publisher's Accepted Manuscript

Journal Name:

Advanced Energy Materials

Additional Journal Information:

Journal Name: Advanced Energy Materials Journal Volume: 10 Journal Issue: 29; Journal ID: ISSN 1614-6832

Publisher:

Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)

Country of Publication:

Germany

Language:

English