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Title: A High-Throughput Study of PtNiZr Catalysts for Application in PEM Fuel Cells

Abstract

The effects of adding Zr to PtNi oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst alloys were examined in a study aimed at probing the possibility of creating catalysts with enhanced resistance to corrosion in a PEM fuel cell environment. Samples consisting of pure Pt or PtNiZr alloys with a range of compositions (not exceeding 11 at.% Zr) were fabricated using co-sputter deposition. A high-throughput fabrication approach was used wherein 18 distinct thin film catalyst alloy samples with varying compositions were deposited onto a large-area substrate with individual Au current collector structures. A multi-channel pseudo-potentiostat allowed for the simultaneous quantitative study of catalytic activity for all 18 electrodes in a single test bath, a first for the study of ORR electrocatalysts. A properly stirred oxygenated 1 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte solution was used to provide each electrode with a steady-state flow of reactants during electrochemical evaluation. The onset potentials, absolute current density values, and Tafel analysis data obtained using this technique were compared with literature reports. The analyses showed that most PtNiZr alloys tested offered improvements over pure Pt, however those surfaces with a high mole fraction (>4 at.%) of Zr exhibited reduced activity that was roughly inversely correlated to the amountmore » of Zr present. Film composition, morphology, and crystallographic properties were examined using X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), SEM, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. These data were then correlated with electrochemical data to elucidate the relationships between composition, structure, and relative performance for this ternary system.« less

Authors:
; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
SLAC National Accelerator Lab., Menlo Park, CA (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
953605
Report Number(s):
SLAC-REPRINT-2009-278
Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4686; ELCAAV; TRN: US1000851
DOE Contract Number:  
AC02-76SF00515
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Electrochim. Acta 53:3680,2008
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 53; Journal Issue: 10; Journal ID: ISSN 0013-4686
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; 43 PARTICLE ACCELERATORS; ALLOYS; CATALYSTS; CORROSION; CURRENT DENSITY; CURRENTS; DATA; DEPOSITION; ELECTROCATALYSTS; ELECTRODES; ELECTROLYTES; ENERGY; ENVIRONMENT; EVALUATION; FABRICATION; FILMS; FUEL CELLS; MORPHOLOGY; OXYGEN; PERFORMANCE; POTENTIALS; RANGE; REDUCTION; SOLUTIONS; SPECTROSCOPY; SUBSTRATES; SURFACES; SYNCHROTRONS; THIN FILMS; X-RAY DIFFRACTION; X-RAY PHOTOELECTRON SPECTROSCOPY; Other,OTHER

Citation Formats

Whitacre, J F, Valdez, T I, and Narayanan, S R. A High-Throughput Study of PtNiZr Catalysts for Application in PEM Fuel Cells. United States: N. p., 2009. Web.
Whitacre, J F, Valdez, T I, & Narayanan, S R. A High-Throughput Study of PtNiZr Catalysts for Application in PEM Fuel Cells. United States.
Whitacre, J F, Valdez, T I, and Narayanan, S R. 2009. "A High-Throughput Study of PtNiZr Catalysts for Application in PEM Fuel Cells". United States.
@article{osti_953605,
title = {A High-Throughput Study of PtNiZr Catalysts for Application in PEM Fuel Cells},
author = {Whitacre, J F and Valdez, T I and Narayanan, S R},
abstractNote = {The effects of adding Zr to PtNi oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst alloys were examined in a study aimed at probing the possibility of creating catalysts with enhanced resistance to corrosion in a PEM fuel cell environment. Samples consisting of pure Pt or PtNiZr alloys with a range of compositions (not exceeding 11 at.% Zr) were fabricated using co-sputter deposition. A high-throughput fabrication approach was used wherein 18 distinct thin film catalyst alloy samples with varying compositions were deposited onto a large-area substrate with individual Au current collector structures. A multi-channel pseudo-potentiostat allowed for the simultaneous quantitative study of catalytic activity for all 18 electrodes in a single test bath, a first for the study of ORR electrocatalysts. A properly stirred oxygenated 1 M H{sub 2}SO{sub 4} electrolyte solution was used to provide each electrode with a steady-state flow of reactants during electrochemical evaluation. The onset potentials, absolute current density values, and Tafel analysis data obtained using this technique were compared with literature reports. The analyses showed that most PtNiZr alloys tested offered improvements over pure Pt, however those surfaces with a high mole fraction (>4 at.%) of Zr exhibited reduced activity that was roughly inversely correlated to the amount of Zr present. Film composition, morphology, and crystallographic properties were examined using X-ray energy dispersive spectroscopy (XEDS), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), SEM, and synchrotron X-ray diffraction. These data were then correlated with electrochemical data to elucidate the relationships between composition, structure, and relative performance for this ternary system.},
doi = {},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/953605}, journal = {Electrochim. Acta 53:3680,2008},
issn = {0013-4686},
number = 10,
volume = 53,
place = {United States},
year = {Tue May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2009},
month = {Tue May 26 00:00:00 EDT 2009}
}