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Title: Preparation and evaluation of advanced electrocatalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells. 7th quarterly report, July-September 1981

Technical Report ·
OSTI ID:5896486

A number of new electrocatalyst combinations were prepared and characterized. These electrocatalysts were formulated to contain platinum combined with transition metal carbide forming elements (W, Mo, V) for cathodes and platinum combined with palladium for anodes. The metals were supported on Consel I and Consel IV which were developed in our parallel EPRI 1200-2 program. High resolution electron microscopy was used to determine the crystallite size and dispersion of platinum-palladium alloy electrocatalysts in order to provide analytical support for the electrochemical determinations of the particle dispersions. An equation has been derived which correlates palladium crystallite size with electrochemical hydrogen adsorption. Based on comparison of electrocatalyst performances in the presence of pure hydrogen and hydrogen containing carbon monoxide, it was shown that the apparent poisoning of the electrocatalyst by carbon monoxide is influenced by the electrode structure. This conclusion is extremely important since further gains in electrode performance will be obtained by improvements in the electrocatalyst-PTFE structure to reduce the thickness of the electrolyte films on the electrocatalysts in fuel cell electrodes. This work is not yet capable of predicting the gains that may be possible by more effectively utilizing the electrocatalyst.

Research Organization:
Stonehart Associates, Inc., Madison, CT (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
AI01-80ET17088
OSTI ID:
5896486
Report Number(s):
DOE/NASA/0176-81/4; NASA-CR-165519; ON: DE82004311
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English