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Accelerating Oxygen‐Reduction Catalysts through Preventing Poisoning with Non‐Reactive Species by Using Hydrophobic Ionic Liquids
Author(s) -
Zhang GuiRong,
Munoz Macarena,
Etzold Bastian J. M.
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201508338
Subject(s) - catalysis , ionic liquid , kinetics , chemistry , oxygen reduction reaction , penetration (warfare) , fuel cells , oxygen , ionic bonding , chemical engineering , oxygen reduction , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , electrochemistry , ion , electrode , physics , quantum mechanics , operations research , engineering
Developing cost‐effective electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a prerequisite for broad market penetration of low‐temperature fuel cells. A major barrier stems from the poisoning of surface sites by nonreactive oxygenated species and the sluggish ORR kinetics on the Pt catalysts. Herein we report a facile approach to accelerating ORR kinetics by using a hydrophobic ionic liquid (IL), which protects Pt sites from surface oxidation, making the IL‐modified Pt intrinsically more active than its unmodified counterpart. The mass activity of the catalyst is increased by three times to 1.01 A mg −1 Pt @0.9 V, representing a new record for pure Pt catalysts. The enhanced performance of the IL‐modified catalyst can be stabilized after 30 000 cycles. We anticipate these results will form the basis for an unprecedented perspective in the development of high‐performing electrocatalysts for fuel‐cell applications.