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Microporous 3D-Structured Hierarchically Entangled Graphene-Supported Pt3Co Alloy Catalyst for PEMFC Application with
Narugopal Manna1,2, Mayank Singh1,2, Sreekumar Kurungot1,2
1Physical and Materials Chemistry Division, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory, Pune 411008, India.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|June 2, 2023
Summary
We developed a novel platinum-cobalt alloy on N-doped graphene for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). This catalyst shows enhanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability, outperforming commercial catalysts.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Chemical Engineering
Background:
- Improving oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance in proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathodes is crucial for efficiency and durability.
- Electrocatalyst design is key to enhancing mass activity and longevity.
- Current catalysts often face limitations in activity and stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and synthesize a novel electrocatalyst for enhanced ORR performance in PEMFC cathodes.
- To investigate the structural and electrochemical properties of the new catalyst.
- To evaluate the catalyst's activity, durability, and performance in a single fuel cell.
Main Methods:
- Synthesis of sub-three nm platinum-cobalt alloy (Pt3Co) nanoparticles supported on N-doped microporous 3D graphene (pNEGF) using the polyol method.
- Microwave-assisted synthesis for preparing the 3D porous carbon support with high pore volume and micro-/mesoporous surfaces.
- Electrochemical characterization including ORR performance testing in HClO4, durability tests (cycling), and single-cell testing in a membrane electrode assembly (MEA).
Main Results:
- The Pt3Co/pNEGF catalyst demonstrated ORR performance comparable to state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C catalysts, with a small overpotential of 10 mV.
- The 3D microporous structure of N-doped graphene facilitated reactant mass transport, significantly improving ORR performance.
- Pt3Co/pNEGF exhibited 1.5 times higher mass activity than Pt/C due to lower Pt loading and superior durability, showing smaller changes in ECSA and half-wave potential after 10,000 cycles.
- Single-cell testing of MEAs with Pt3Co/pNEGF cathodes yielded a maximum power density of 800 mW cm-2 under H2-O2 conditions, indicating improved performance in the mass-transfer region.
Conclusions:
- The developed Pt3Co/pNEGF catalyst offers a promising alternative for PEMFC cathodes due to its high mass activity, enhanced durability, and improved mass transport.
- The unique 3D architecture and porosity of the N-doped graphene support contribute to the catalyst's superior performance and structural endurance.
- The findings validate the process friendliness and potential of Pt3Co/pNEGF as an electrode-specific catalyst for advanced fuel cell applications.
