Preparation of CO-tolerant anode electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 42; no. 19; pp. 13741 - 13753
• Main Authors: Gubán, D., Tompos, A., Bakos, I., Vass, Á., Pászti, Z., Szabó, E.Gy, Sajó, I.E., Borbáth, I.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 11.05.2017
• Subjects: Anode electrocatalysts; CO-tolerance; Composite materials; Conducting Ti-based mixed oxides; TiMoOx; TiWOx; CO-tolerance; TiMoOx; Composite materials; TiWOx; Conducting Ti-based mixed oxides; Anode electrocatalysts
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2017.03.080

The preparation and the thorough characterization of 40 wt% Pt electrocatalysts supported on Ti(1−x)MxO2-C (M = W, Mo; x = 0.3–0.4) composite materials with enhanced stability and efficiency is presented. W-containing composite supported catalyst with different structural characteristics were compared in order to explore the influence of the nature of the W species on the electrocatalytic performance. The assessment of the electrochemical properties of the novel catalysts revealed a correlation between the degree of W incorporation, the hydrogen spillover effect and the stability against initial leaching which influences the activity and CO tolerance of the catalysts. A preparation route for Ti0.7Mo0.3O2-C composite with high extent of Mo incorporation was developed. No significant difference was observed in the activity, stability and CO tolerance of the W- or Mo-containing composite supported Pt catalysts with almost complete incorporation of the oxophilic dopant. Better performance of the Pt/Ti0.7M0.3O2-C (M = W, Mo) electrocatalysts in a single cell test device using hydrogen containing 100 ppm CO compared to the reference Pt/C and PtRu/C (Quintech) catalysts was also demonstrated. [Display omitted] •Ti(1−x)MxO2-C (M = W, Mo; x = 0.3–0.4) composite supported Pt catalysts were prepared.•High extent of W and Mo incorporation into rutile-TiO2 phase was obtained.•Hydrogen spillover effect was found to correlate with the extent of W incorporation.•CO tolerance enhanced with increasing extent of the oxophilic dopant incorporation.•Better performance using H2/100 ppm CO in a single-cell test device was achieved.