Experimental investigation on DMFCs using reduced noble metal loading with NiTiO3 as supportive material to enhance cell performances

• Published in: International journal of hydrogen energy Vol. 44; no. 26; pp. 13415 - 13423
• Main Authors: Thiagarajan, V., Karthikeyan, P., Thanarajan, K., Neelakrishnan, S., Manoharan, R., Chen, Rui, Fly, Ashley, Anand, R., Karuppa Raj, Thundil R., Sendhil Kumar, N.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 21.05.2019
• Subjects: Anode electrocatalyst; Cell performance; Direct methanol fuel cell; Methanol oxidation; Nickel titanate; Nickel titanate; Anode electrocatalyst; Direct methanol fuel cell; Methanol oxidation; Cell performance
• ISSN: 0360-3199; 1879-3487
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2019.03.244

In this present work, the effect of anode electrocatalyst materials is investigated by adding NiTiO3 with Pt/C and Pt-Ru/C for the performance enhancement of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The supportive material NiTiO3/C has been synthesized first by wet chemical method followed by incorporation of Pt and Pt-Ru separately. Experiments are conducted with the combination of four different electrocatalyst materials on the anode side (Pt/C, Pt-NiTiO3/C, PtRu/C, Pt-Ru-NiTiO3/C) and with commercial 20 wt % Pt/C on the cathode side; 0.5 mgpt/cm2 loading is maintained on both sides. The performance tests of the above catalysts are conducted on 5 cm2 active area with various operating conditions like cell operating temperatures, methanol/water molar concentrations and reactant flow rates. Best performing operating conditions have been optimized. The maximum peak power densities attained are 13.30 mW/cm2 (26.6 mW/mgpt) and 14.60 mW/cm2 (29.2 mW/mgpt) for Pt-NiTiO3/C and Pt-Ru-NiTiO3/C at 80 °C, respectively, with 0.5 M concentration of methanol and fuel flow rate of 3 ml/min (anode) and oxygen flow rate of 100 ml/min (cathode). Besides, 5 h short term stability tests have been conducted for PtRu/C and Pt-NiTiO3/C. The overall results suggest that the incorporation of NiTiO3/C supportive material to Pt and Pt-Ru appears to make a promising anode electrocatalysts for the enhanced DMFC performances. •Nanostructured anode electro-catalysts of Pt-NiTiO3/C and Pt-Ru-NiTiO3/C has been synthesized.•Performance evaluation for anode electro-catalysts on 5 cm2 DMFC and compared with Pt/C and PtRu/C.•Pt-NiTiO3/C and Pt-Ru-NiTiO3/C shows better performance at low loading of Pt (0.5 mgPt/cm2).•Stability analysis is carried out for 5 h on Pt-NiTiO3/C and results are analysed.