Robust Oxygen-Reduction Electrocatalyst Scaffold for High-Temperature Phosphoric Acid Fuel Cells Using Tailored...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Chemical Engineering

Background:

• High-temperature fuel cells require durable catalyst supports.
• Existing supports often lack stability under harsh operating conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To engineer a robust, nanoporous carbon scaffold for high-temperature phosphoric acid fuel cells.
• To optimize scaffold properties for enhanced activity, stability, and electron transport.

Main Methods:

• Synthesized silica-templated carbon spherules and heat-treated them at various temperatures (1173 K, 1773 K, 2773 K).
• Characterized scaffolds using spectroscopy, microscopy, surface area analysis, and chronoamperometry.
• Evaluated scaffold performance at powder, catalyst, and gas diffusion electrode levels.

Main Results:

• Optimized carbon scaffolds (MCHT900, MCHT1500, MCHT2500) with tailored porosity and graphitic order.
• MCHT1500 demonstrated superior durability and suitability as an electrocatalyst support.
• 20 wt% Pt on MCHT1500 exhibited excellent oxygen reduction reaction activity and stability.

Conclusions:

• The MCHT1500 carbon scaffold is a promising material for high-temperature phosphoric acid fuel cells.
• The developed scaffold enhances catalyst performance and durability.
• This work addresses the need for robust catalyst supports in advanced fuel cell technologies.