Outstanding fuel cell performance of a fully platinum-free electrocatalysts using a cost-effective catalyst support material

Submitting author affiliation:
Indian Institute of Technology Chennai, IIT Chenai, India, Chennai, India

Beilstein Arch. 2020, 202010. https://doi.org/10.3762/bxiv.2020.10.v1

Published 17 Jan 2020

Preprint
cc-by Logo
This preprint has not been peer-reviewed. When a peer-reviewed version is available, this information will be updated.

Abstract

One of the effective ways to increase the electrocatalytic activity of carbon based electrocatalyst in a fuel cell is by in-situ incorporation of heteroatom into the carbon nanostructure. Herein, a cost effective catalyst support material, nitrogen rich carbon nanostructure (NCNS) with high surface area and tubular morphology was synthesized. NCNS supported palladium-alloy based electrocatalyst (Pd3Co/NCNS) was successfully prepared and used on both sides of a fuel cell as potential alternative to expensive Pt-based electrocatalysts. The large number of nitrogen-carbon moieties present in NCNS served as anchoring sites for catalyst nanoparticles. Moreover, the tubular morphology and high surface area plays an important role in enhanced electrochemical activity of the prepared nanocomposite. The Pd-based bimetallic alloy dispersed on NCNS exhibited high activity towards both oxidation of hydrogen and reduction of oxygen in acidic medium. Thus, a fully Pt-free electrocatalyst was constructed using a cost effective electrocatalyst. The peak power density achieved using Pd3Co/NCNS at both anode and cathode simultaneously was found to be almost 25 % of the maximum power density attained using commercial Pt/C on both sides, which is the maximum value reported so far in PEMFC without using Pt on either side.

Keywords: Nitrogen doped carbon; Heteroatom doping; ORR activity; Non-Pt catalyst; Carbonization

Supporting Information

Format: DOC Size: 1.0 MB   Download

How to Cite

When a peer-reviewed version of this preprint is available, this information will be updated in the information box above. If no peer-reviewed version is available, please cite this preprint using the following information:

Chandran, P.; Ramaprabhu, S. Beilstein Arch. 2020, 202010. doi:10.3762/bxiv.2020.10.v1

Download Citation

Citation data can be downloaded as file using the "Download" button or used for copy/paste from the text window below.
Citation data in RIS format can be imported by all major citation management software, including EndNote, ProCite, RefWorks, and Zotero.

OTHER BEILSTEIN-INSTITUT OPEN SCIENCE ACTIVITIES