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Stabilization of platinum oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts using gold clusters
1Department of Chemistry, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton, NY 11973, USA.
Science (New York, N.Y.)
|January 16, 2007
Summary
Gold clusters stabilize platinum fuel-cell catalysts against degradation. Modifying platinum nanoparticles with gold prevents dissolution during potential cycling, maintaining catalyst performance for vehicle applications.
Area of Science:
- Electrochemistry
- Materials Science
- Catalysis
Background:
- Fuel cells are crucial for clean energy, but platinum catalysts degrade over time.
- Dissolution of platinum nanoparticles is a major challenge in fuel cell durability, especially under dynamic operating conditions in vehicles.
Purpose of the Study:
- To enhance the stability of platinum (Pt) oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts.
- To mitigate the dissolution of Pt nanoparticles during potential cycling, a common issue in automotive fuel cell applications.
Main Methods:
- Modification of platinum nanoparticles with gold (Au) clusters.
- Electrochemical testing involving potential cycling between 0.6 and 1.1 volts for over 30,000 cycles under ORR conditions.
- In situ X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) and cyclic voltammetry (CV).
Main Results:
- Au-modified Pt electrocatalysts exhibited significantly enhanced stability against dissolution compared to pure Pt.
- Insignificant changes in activity and surface area of Au-modified Pt were observed after extensive cycling.
- Pure Pt catalysts showed considerable losses in activity and surface area under identical conditions.
Conclusions:
- Gold clusters effectively stabilize platinum fuel-cell electrocatalysts against dissolution.
- The enhanced stability is attributed to gold clusters raising the platinum oxidation potential.
- This stabilization strategy offers a promising solution for improving the durability of catalysts in vehicle fuel cells.
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