A comparative study of PtCo/C Alloys and Pt/C as cathode
catalysts for fuel cell applications
A comparative study of PtCo/C Alloys and Pt/C as cathode
catalysts for fuel cell applications
Commercialisation of fuel cells for automotive applications requires catalysts with both improved activity, particularly for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and stability over commercial platinum only catalysts. This requires a detailed understanding of both desirable catalyst structure and mechanistic activity. In this work a comparative study is made between commercial Pt/C catalysts and developmental PtCo/C catalysts, with the aim of increasing understanding of the desirable characteristics of improved activity and stability demonstrated for PtCo catalysts.
To explore the origins of activity and stability enhancement for Pt3Co/C catalysts over Pt/C, the mechanisms of catalyst deactivation have been investigated. In addition, four new PtCo3/C catalyst materials have been prepared and evaluated for ORR activity before and after activation by electrochemical dealloying. Structural changes occurring during these processes have been characterised using cyclic voltammetry, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS).
XAS has also been used to explore the relationship between catalyst activity and structure. This has been achieved by building and validating a specially adapted fuel cell, enabling study of fuel cell catalysts in situ under realistic operating conditions. Findings from time resolved potential step experiments with 12 s and 0.1 s time resolution will be presented for catalysts operating at OCV and under load with oxygen cathode gas. In addition, studies have been conducted with nitrogen cathode feed gas to investigate the effect of potential and temperature on the processes of oxide formation and removal on both Pt/C and PtCo/C catalysts.
Burton, Sarah Louise
bc31e7b6-b3a5-451a-9c65-a9dafbc84d1c
30 November 2009
Burton, Sarah Louise
bc31e7b6-b3a5-451a-9c65-a9dafbc84d1c
Russell, Andrea E.
b6b7c748-efc1-4d5d-8a7a-8e4b69396169
Burton, Sarah Louise
(2009)
A comparative study of PtCo/C Alloys and Pt/C as cathode
catalysts for fuel cell applications.
University of Southampton, School of Chemistry, Doctoral Thesis, 251pp.
Record type:
Thesis
(Doctoral)
Abstract
Commercialisation of fuel cells for automotive applications requires catalysts with both improved activity, particularly for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and stability over commercial platinum only catalysts. This requires a detailed understanding of both desirable catalyst structure and mechanistic activity. In this work a comparative study is made between commercial Pt/C catalysts and developmental PtCo/C catalysts, with the aim of increasing understanding of the desirable characteristics of improved activity and stability demonstrated for PtCo catalysts.
To explore the origins of activity and stability enhancement for Pt3Co/C catalysts over Pt/C, the mechanisms of catalyst deactivation have been investigated. In addition, four new PtCo3/C catalyst materials have been prepared and evaluated for ORR activity before and after activation by electrochemical dealloying. Structural changes occurring during these processes have been characterised using cyclic voltammetry, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS).
XAS has also been used to explore the relationship between catalyst activity and structure. This has been achieved by building and validating a specially adapted fuel cell, enabling study of fuel cell catalysts in situ under realistic operating conditions. Findings from time resolved potential step experiments with 12 s and 0.1 s time resolution will be presented for catalysts operating at OCV and under load with oxygen cathode gas. In addition, studies have been conducted with nitrogen cathode feed gas to investigate the effect of potential and temperature on the processes of oxide formation and removal on both Pt/C and PtCo/C catalysts.
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Published date: 30 November 2009
Organisations:
University of Southampton
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Local EPrints ID: 173983
URI: http://eprints.soton.ac.uk/id/eprint/173983
PURE UUID: 662c52d3-2962-4d51-82b8-528dfdaded45
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Date deposited: 18 Feb 2011 16:48
Last modified: 14 Mar 2024 02:41
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Author:
Sarah Louise Burton
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