Non-carbon mixed-metal oxide support for electrocatalysts

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10090533-B2
Application number	US-201615386500-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 21, 2016
Priority date	Jan 31, 2014
Publication date	Oct 2, 2018
Grant date	Oct 2, 2018

Abstract

A non-carbon support particle is provided for use in electrocatalyst. The non-carbon support particle consists essentially of titanium dioxide and ruthenium dioxide. The titanium and ruthenium can have a mole ratio ranging from 1:1 to 9:1 in the non-carbon support particle. Also disclosed are methods of preparing the non-carbon support and electrocatalyst taught herein.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method of preparing a non-carbon support particle for use supporting active catalyst particles in electrocatalyst, the method comprising:
dispersing titanium dioxide nanopowder in liquid and mixing for a first period of time;
precipitating ruthenium hydroxide on the titanium dioxide nanopowder to form non-carbon support particles consisting essentially of titanium dioxide and ruthenium dioxide;
filtering the non-carbon support particles from the liquid; and
drying the non-carbon support particles, wherein titanium and ruthenium have a mole ratio between 9:1 and 3:1 in the non-carbon support particle, the titanium dioxide has a first particle size and the ruthenium dioxide has a second particle size, the first particle size being equal to the second particle size.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising calcining the non-carbon support particles in air.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the calcining is performed at 450° C.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein precipitating ruthenium hydroxide comprises:
adding ruthenium chloride hydrate to the liquid and further mixing for a second period of time to form a solution; and
adjusting a pH of the solution to seven.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the non-carbon support particles consist essentially of a mole ratio between 9:1 and 6:1 of titanium dioxide and ruthenium dioxide.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
modifying a surface of the dried non-carbon support particles with a chemical process configured to promote adhesion of active catalyst particles.

7. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:
increasing a surface area of the dried non-carbon support particles with mechanical milling.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:
increasing a surface area of the dried non-carbon support particles with mechanical milling prior to modifying the surface.

9. A method of preparing a non-carbon electrocatalyst comprising the method of claim 1 , and further comprising depositing precious metal active particles on the non-carbon support particles by reducing an active catalyst precursor with acid.

10. The method of claim 9 , wherein the precious metal active particles are platinum particles.

Assignees

• Nissan North America Inc

Inventors

• Ramani Vijay K
• Niangar Ellazar
• Dale Nilesh
• Han Taehee

Classifications

• H01M4/8817

  Treatment of supports before application of the catalytic active composition (coated porous composites H01M8/0245) · CPC title

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/925 Primary

  supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers · CPC title

• H01M4/9075

  Catalytic material supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers (H01M4/8807, H01M4/881, H01M4/8814, H01M4/925 take precedence) · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title