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Reduction of Pt usage in fuel cell electrocatalysts using carbon nanotubes and non‐Pt metals
Author(s) -
Yoo E.,
Nagashima Y.,
Yamazaki T.,
Matsumoto T.,
Nakamura J.
Publication year - 2006
Publication title -
polymers for advanced technologies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.61
H-Index - 90
eISSN - 1099-1581
pISSN - 1042-7147
DOI - 10.1002/pat.746
Subject(s) - materials science , anode , electrolyte , carbon nanotube , catalysis , electrocatalyst , cathode , carbon black , chemical engineering , electrode , carbon fibers , nanotechnology , electrochemistry , composite material , composite number , organic chemistry , chemistry , natural rubber , engineering
Electrocatalysts supported by carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been studied to reduce Pt usage in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). The PEFC using Pt‐deposited CNTs at the anode and cathode shows higher performance than a commercial Pt‐deposited carbon black (CB) with reducing 60% Pt loading per electrode area in PEFC below 500 mA/cm 2 . These high performances are considered to be due to the efficient formation of the triple‐phase boundaries of gas‐electrode‐electrolyte. Mo 2 C/CNTs anode catalysts prepared as a non‐Pt electrocatalyst show about half the voltage of a popular PEFC with Pt/CB below 600 mA/cm 2 with 1.5 atm‐H 2 . The Mo 2 C/CNTs gave five time, larger voltage and current compared to Mo 2 C/CB at least. CNTs are thus found to be better material than CB in PEFC. It is also found that Ru/defective CNTs catalysts shows high CO tolerance in hydrogen electro‐oxidation. The Ru catalyst particles were found to be very small with 1 nm diameter. It is thus considered that highly dispersed Ru nanopaticles supported on defective CNTs are attributed to the high CO tolerance. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.