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. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 1017-1020 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Electrochemistry Communications |
Volume | 12 |
Issue number | 8 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 1 Aug 2010 |
Keywords
- Durability
- Nafion
- Pt/C
- PEMFC
- Platinum
- Fuel cell
- Electrocatalyst