Low-cost and durable catalyst support for fuel cells: graphite submicronparticles

Journal Article · Fri Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 2010 · Journal of Power Sources, 195(2):457-460

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jpowsour.2009.08.012· OSTI ID:970348

Zhang, Sheng; Shao, Yuyan; Li, Xiaohong; Nie, Zimin; Wang, Yong; Liu, Jun; Yin, Geping; Lin, Yuehe

Low-cost graphite submicronparticles (GSP) are employed as a possible catalyst support for polymer electrolyte membrane (PEM) fuel cells. Platinum nanoparticles are deposited on Vulcan XC-72 carbon black (XC-72), carbon nanotubes (CNT), and GSP via ethylene glycol (EG) reduction method. The morphologies and the crystallinity of Pt/XC-72, Pt/CNT, and Pt/GSP are characterized with X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscope, which shows that Pt nanoparticles (~ 3.5 nm) are uniformly dispersed on GSP support. Pt/GSP exhibits the highest activity towards oxygen reduction reactions. The durability study indicates that Pt/GSP is 2 ~ 3 times durable than Pt/CNT and Pt/XC-72. The enhanced durability of Pt/GSP catalyst is attributed to the higher corrosion resistance of graphite submicronparticles, which results from higher graphitization degree of GSP support. Considering its low production cost, graphite submicronparticles are promising electrocatalyst support for fuel cells.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (US), Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 970348
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-67938; 24990; EB4209000
• Journal Information: Journal of Power Sources, 195(2):457-460, Journal Name: Journal of Power Sources, 195(2):457-460
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory
carbon nanotubes
durability
electrocatalyst
graphite submicronparticle
polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell