Premium
Synthesis and Evaluation of Carbon Nanotubes Supported Silver Catalyst for Alkaline Fuel Cell
Author(s) -
Fazil A.,
Chetty R.
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
electroanalysis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.574
H-Index - 128
eISSN - 1521-4109
pISSN - 1040-0397
DOI - 10.1002/elan.201400246
Subject(s) - catalysis , thermogravimetric analysis , carbon nanotube , cyclic voltammetry , alkaline fuel cell , materials science , proton exchange membrane fuel cell , electrochemistry , scanning electron microscope , metal , chemical engineering , exchange current density , open circuit voltage , inorganic chemistry , nuclear chemistry , electrode , ion exchange , chemistry , nanotechnology , ion , composite material , metallurgy , organic chemistry , voltage , tafel equation , physics , quantum mechanics , engineering
Silver catalysts with three different metal loadings e.g. 10, 20 and 40 wt% were synthesised on carbon nanotubes (Ag/CNT) support by glycerol reduction method. The catalysts were characterised by X‐ray diffraction, electron microscopy and thermogravimetric analysis. The average crystalline size of Ag was found between 10 and 16 nm for the metal loading from 10 to 40 wt%. The catalytic activity towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline solution was studied for the Ag/CNT catalysts in terms of mass activity as well as specific activity. Cyclic voltammetry and rotating disc electrode studies showed higher current density for 40 wt% Ag/CNT catalyst, which maintained suitable durability in potential sweeping cycling in comparison to 10 and 20 wt% Ag/CNT. The fuel cell studies of the synthesized catalysts were conducted using an anion exchange membrane, and all the three Ag/CNT catalysts showed open circuit voltage above 1 V with 40 wt% Ag/CNT gave the highest peak power density of 26.1 mW cm −2 at room temperature, in good agreement with the kinetic data obtained from the half‐cell studies.