Non-noble metal electrocatalysts for oxygen depolarized cathodes and their uses

Patent · Tue Sep 17 00:00:00 EDT 2019

OSTI ID:1576319

Tylus, Urszula; Mukerjee, Sanjeev; Miner, Elise; Strickland, Kara

Highly anion resistant electrocatalysts suitable for catalyzing an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methods of synthesizing the same are provided. The catalysts contain a transition metal, a heteroatom, and carbon. Preferred catalysts include N as the heteroatom and Fe as the transition metal, with active sites having Fe--N.sub.4 stoichiometry (Fe.sub.xN.sub.yC.sub.z) as part of a metal organic framework (MOF) or sequestered within a MOF. Electrocatalysts further including Fe nanoparticles (Fe.sub.NPs) are also provided. The catalysts described herein are applicable in the preparation of oxygen decoupled cathodes (ODC) for chlorine evolution processes such as in chlor-alkali cells or HCl electrolyzers. The catalysts are also useful in preparing ODC for use in fuel cells, including phosphoric acid fuel cells.

• Research Organization: Northeastern Univ., Boston, MA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: EE0000459; W911NF-09-0227
• Assignee: Northeastern University (Boston, MA)
• Patent Number(s): 10,418,639
• Application Number: 14/758,857
• OSTI ID: 1576319
• Resource Relation: Patent File Date: 2014 Jan 07
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English