Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Electrocatalysts, and fuel cells containing them

Patent ·
OSTI ID:1650928
Provided are electrocatalysts, fuel cells, methods of making fuel cells, and methods of generating an electric current, each featuring a platinum (Pt)-containing substrate in contact with an aqueous solution comprising Pb2+. Electrocatalysts of the invention are formed via underpotential deposition (UPD) when a trace amount of Pb2+ is present in the electrolyte of a half anodic cell for oxidizing formic acid using Pt as the anode. Surprisingly, the UPD process dramatically enhances the activity of formic acid oxidation, at least as much as 10-fold compared with palladium (Pd) black. In an embodiment, the electrocatalyst comprises a Pt-containing substrate, a submonolayer of lead (Pb) adsorbed onto the Pt-containing substrate, and an aqueous solution comprising Pb2+, wherein the concentration of Pb2+ in the aqueous solution is 10 to 500 μm.
Research Organization:
Georgetown Univ., Washington, DC (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
USDOE
DOE Contract Number:
FG02-07ER15895
Assignee:
Georgetown University (Washington, DC)
Patent Number(s):
10,658,678
Application Number:
14/739,063
OSTI ID:
1650928
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

Similar Records

Influence of underpotential deposited lead upon the oxidation of HCOOH in HClO[sub 4] at platinum electrodes
Journal Article · Wed Sep 01 00:00:00 EDT 1993 · Journal of the Electrochemical Society; (United States) · OSTI ID:5676788

Palladium-based electrocatalysts and fuel cells employing such electrocatalysts
Patent · Tue Aug 31 00:00:00 EDT 2010 · OSTI ID:1013609

Electrocatalyst for alcohol oxidation at fuel cell anodes
Patent · Wed Nov 02 00:00:00 EDT 2011 · OSTI ID:1033934