Issue 10, 2013

Pt based PEMFC catalysts prepared from colloidal particle suspensions – a toolbox for model studies

Abstract

A colloidal synthesis approach is presented that allows systematic studies of the properties of supported proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) catalysts. The applied synthesis route is based on the preparation of monodisperse nanoparticles in the absence of strong binding organic stabilizing agents. No temperature post-treatment of the catalyst is required rendering the synthesis route ideally suitable for comparative studies. We report work concerning a series of catalysts based on the same colloidal Pt nanoparticle (NP) suspension, but with different high surface area (HSA) carbon supports. It is shown that for the prepared catalysts the carbon support has no catalytic co-function, but carbon pre-treatment leads to enhanced sticking of the Pt NPs on the support. An unwanted side effect, however, is NP agglomeration during synthesis. By contrast, enhanced NP sticking without agglomeration can be accomplished by the addition of an ionomer to the NP suspension. The catalytic activity of the prepared catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction is comparable to industrial catalysts and no influence of the particle size is found in the range of 2–5 nm.

Graphical abstract: Pt based PEMFC catalysts prepared from colloidal particle suspensions – a toolbox for model studies

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
17 Dec 2012
Accepted
17 Jan 2013
First published
17 Jan 2013

Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013,15, 3602-3608

Pt based PEMFC catalysts prepared from colloidal particle suspensions – a toolbox for model studies

J. Speder, L. Altmann, M. Roefzaad, M. Bäumer, J. J. K. Kirkensgaard, K. Mortensen and M. Arenz, Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2013, 15, 3602 DOI: 10.1039/C3CP50195G

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements