Related Experiment Video
Updated: Aug 6, 2026
12:12
On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method
Published on: March 16, 2018
Evaluating Pt Nanoparticle Electrocatalyst Stability on Corrosion Free Carbon Supports Using Identical Location TEM
Daniel Houghton1, Yisong Han2, Richard Beanland2
1Department of Chemistry, University of Warwick, Coventry, UK.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|July 24, 2026
Summary
Platinum nanoparticle stability was assessed using advanced microscopy on corrosion-resistant diamond supports. Most platinum nanoparticles remained stable, showing minimal changes in area and position during fuel cell testing.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Electrochemistry
- Nanotechnology
Background:
- Assessing platinum nanoparticle stability is crucial for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) performance.
- Carbon support corrosion under start-stop conditions complicates the evaluation of platinum nanoparticle stability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate platinum nanoparticle stability independent of carbon support corrosion.
- To track morphological changes of individual platinum nanoparticles under accelerated stress testing.
Main Methods:
- Utilized identical-location transmission electron microscopy (ILTEM) for high-resolution imaging.
- Employed corrosion-resistant, electron-transparent boron-doped diamond (BDD) electrodes as a support.
- Developed automated image analysis for efficient NP characterization (area, position, nearest neighbor distance).
Main Results:
- 40%-50% of platinum nanoparticles exhibited area stability.
- A small fraction of nanoparticles showed slight growth or minor area decrease (<1 atom layer) due to dissolution.
- Average nanoparticle travel distance was approximately 0.36 nm after stress testing.
Conclusions:
- Boron-doped diamond supports demonstrate excellent stability for platinum nanoparticles under high anodic potentials.
- The Pt-BDD interaction is stable, highlighting BDD's potential as an electrocatalyst support in fuel cells.
