Enhanced durability of a Pt/C electrocatalyst derived from Nafion-stabilised colloidal platinum nanoparticles

Oliver J. Curnick; Paula M. Mendes; Bruno G. Pollet

doi:10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013

Enhanced durability of a Pt/C electrocatalyst derived from Nafion-stabilised colloidal platinum nanoparticles

Oliver J. Curnick, Paula M. Mendes, Bruno G. Pollet

University of Birmingham

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

35 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

A Pt/C electrocatalyst was prepared from colloidal Pt nanoparticles stabilised by Nafion. This electrocatalyst was found to exhibit negligible degradation under a potential cycling regime conducted on a model thin-film catalyst layer in a 3-electrode cell set-up, in which an E-Tek Pt/C commercial catalyst showed a 23% loss of specific electrochemical surface area (SECSA). The enhanced durability of the Nafion-derived is thought to arise from the protection of Pt particles against dissolution and sintering by the surrounding Nafion layer. The use of the ionomer phase as a protective agent in the catalyst layer presents a novel strategy for the production of more durable Pt/C catalysts for the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which currently presents a significant challenge for the commercialisation of this technology.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	1017-1020
Number of pages	4
Journal	Electrochemistry Communications
Volume	12
Issue number	8
Early online date	24 May 2010
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013
Publication status	Published - 1 Aug 2010
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

Durability
Electrocatalyst
Fuel cell
Nafion
PEMFC
Platinum
Pt/C

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Electrochemistry

Access to Document

10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013

Cite this

@article{385abd4a7d49465f84aa8082128b38ea,

title = "Enhanced durability of a Pt/C electrocatalyst derived from Nafion-stabilised colloidal platinum nanoparticles",

abstract = "A Pt/C electrocatalyst was prepared from colloidal Pt nanoparticles stabilised by Nafion. This electrocatalyst was found to exhibit negligible degradation under a potential cycling regime conducted on a model thin-film catalyst layer in a 3-electrode cell set-up, in which an E-Tek Pt/C commercial catalyst showed a 23% loss of specific electrochemical surface area (SECSA). The enhanced durability of the Nafion-derived is thought to arise from the protection of Pt particles against dissolution and sintering by the surrounding Nafion layer. The use of the ionomer phase as a protective agent in the catalyst layer presents a novel strategy for the production of more durable Pt/C catalysts for the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which currently presents a significant challenge for the commercialisation of this technology.",

keywords = "Durability, Electrocatalyst, Fuel cell, Nafion, PEMFC, Platinum, Pt/C",

author = "Curnick, {Oliver J.} and Mendes, {Paula M.} and Pollet, {Bruno G.}",

year = "2010",

month = aug,

day = "1",

doi = "10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013",

language = "English",

volume = "12",

pages = "1017--1020",

journal = "Electrochemistry Communications",

issn = "1388-2481",

publisher = "Elsevier",

number = "8",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Enhanced durability of a Pt/C electrocatalyst derived from Nafion-stabilised colloidal platinum nanoparticles

AU - Curnick, Oliver J.

AU - Mendes, Paula M.

AU - Pollet, Bruno G.

PY - 2010/8/1

Y1 - 2010/8/1

N2 - A Pt/C electrocatalyst was prepared from colloidal Pt nanoparticles stabilised by Nafion. This electrocatalyst was found to exhibit negligible degradation under a potential cycling regime conducted on a model thin-film catalyst layer in a 3-electrode cell set-up, in which an E-Tek Pt/C commercial catalyst showed a 23% loss of specific electrochemical surface area (SECSA). The enhanced durability of the Nafion-derived is thought to arise from the protection of Pt particles against dissolution and sintering by the surrounding Nafion layer. The use of the ionomer phase as a protective agent in the catalyst layer presents a novel strategy for the production of more durable Pt/C catalysts for the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which currently presents a significant challenge for the commercialisation of this technology.

AB - A Pt/C electrocatalyst was prepared from colloidal Pt nanoparticles stabilised by Nafion. This electrocatalyst was found to exhibit negligible degradation under a potential cycling regime conducted on a model thin-film catalyst layer in a 3-electrode cell set-up, in which an E-Tek Pt/C commercial catalyst showed a 23% loss of specific electrochemical surface area (SECSA). The enhanced durability of the Nafion-derived is thought to arise from the protection of Pt particles against dissolution and sintering by the surrounding Nafion layer. The use of the ionomer phase as a protective agent in the catalyst layer presents a novel strategy for the production of more durable Pt/C catalysts for the Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC), which currently presents a significant challenge for the commercialisation of this technology.

KW - Durability

KW - Electrocatalyst

KW - Fuel cell

KW - Nafion

KW - PEMFC

KW - Platinum

KW - Pt/C

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=77955307927&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013

DO - 10.1016/j.elecom.2010.05.013

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:77955307927

SN - 1388-2481

VL - 12

SP - 1017

EP - 1020

JO - Electrochemistry Communications

JF - Electrochemistry Communications

IS - 8

ER -

Enhanced durability of a Pt/C electrocatalyst derived from Nafion-stabilised colloidal platinum nanoparticles

Abstract

Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Access to Document

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Cite this