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Porous Strained Pt Nanostructured Thin‐Film Electrocatalysts via Dealloying for PEM Fuel Cells
Author(s) -
Hwang ChangKyu,
Kim Jong Min,
Hwang Sehoon,
Kim JooHyung,
Sung Chang Hyun,
Moon ByungMoo,
Chae Keun Hwa,
Singh Jitendra Pal,
Kim SeungHoon,
Jang Seung Soon,
Lee Seung Woo,
Ham Hyung Chul,
Han Seunghee,
Kim Jin Young
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
advanced materials interfaces
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.671
H-Index - 65
ISSN - 2196-7350
DOI - 10.1002/admi.201901326
Subject(s) - materials science , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , nanoporous , electrolyte , electrochemistry , durability , chemical engineering , thin film , electrocatalyst , nanotechnology , porosity , composite material , fuel cells , electrode , chemistry , engineering
The exploitation of state‐of‐the‐art Pt/C electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is mostly limited, due to high Pt loading and durability issues caused by electrochemical instability of the carbon support in high potential regimes. In this study, the authors report that high‐compressive 3D Pt nanostructured thin films can considerably increase the catalytic activity and electrochemical durability of electrocatalysts under PEMFC device operating conditions. The nanostructure fabrication relies on the dealloying or selective leaching of solid alloys of Pt–C binary film to produce a residual 3D nanoporous thin‐film structure. A very rich structural behavior from the dealloying is shown, in which stress relief plays a governing role; the films possess a 3D structure of randomly interpenetrating ligaments and hierarchical pores with sizes between less than 50 nm and several tens of micrometers. In addition, a significant change is observed in the average lattice constant (1.55% compressive strain), which can tune the structural and electronic states of catalytic sites for enhancing the activity of the Pt electrocatalysts. Electrochemical performance of the fabricated porous strained Pt thin‐film electrocatalysts in both half‐cell and single‐cell analyses has demonstrated activity and durability superior to benchmark carbon support Pt catalysts.