Composite made of ionic liquid and octahedral Pt—Ni—Cu alloy nanoparticles for oxygen reduction catalysis

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11043678-B2
Application number	US-201816030103-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 9, 2018
Priority date	Jul 9, 2018
Publication date	Jun 22, 2021
Grant date	Jun 22, 2021

Abstract

Improved oxygen reduction reaction catalysts include octahedral nanoparticles of a platinum-copper-nickel alloy contacted by a secondary ionomer. The alloy can have a formula of Pt2CuNi, and the secondary ionomer can include an ionic liquid, 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD][C4F9SO3]). The oxygen reductions catalysts have improved stability, as well as mass area and specific area comparted to competing catalysts.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalyst comprising:
octahedral nanoparticles comprising a platinum alloy having platinum, nickel, and copper (Pt-Ni-Cu); and
a secondary ionomer contacting the octahedral nanoparticles, the secondary ionomer comprising 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[ 1 , 2 -a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD][C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]).

2. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise nickel and copper present at a nickel:copper molar ratio within a range of about 1:2 to about 2:1.

3. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 2 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise nickel and copper present at a nickel:copper molar ratio of about 1:1.

4. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise platinum and nickel present at a platinum:nickel molar ratio within a range of about 1:1 to about 4:1.

5. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 4 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise platinum and nickel present at a platinum:nickel molar ratio of about 2:1.

6. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionomer is present at a weight ratio relative to the platinum alloy within a range of 1.25:1 to 3.85:1.

7. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionomer is present at a weight ratio relative to the platinum alloy within a range of 2:1 to 3:1.

8. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionomer is present at a weight ratio relative to the platinum alloy within a range of 2.5:1 to 2.6:1.

9. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , comprising a polymeric ionomer in contact with the platinum alloy.

10. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionomer completely coats the platinum alloy.

11. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the secondary ionomer partially coats the platinum alloy.

12. The ORR catalyst as recited in claim 1 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise porous particles and the secondary ionomer is at least partially impregnated in the porous particles.

13. A cathode for oxygen reduction, the cathode comprising:
a cathodic current collector;
octahedral nanoparticles comprising a platinum alloy having platinum, nickel, and copper (Pt-Ni-Cu); and
a secondary ionomer contacting the octahedral nanoparticles, the secondary ionomer comprising 1-methyl-2,3,4,6,7,8-hexahydro-1H-pyrimido[1,2-a]pyrimidin-9-ium 1,1,2,2,3,3,4,4,4-nonafluorobutane-1-sulfonate ([MTBD][C 4 F 9 SO 3 ]).

14. The cathode as recited in claim 13 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise nickel and copper present at a nickel:copper molar ratio within a range of about 1:2 to about 2:1.

15. The cathode as recited in claim 14 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise nickel and copper present at a nickel:copper molar ratio of about 1:1.

16. The cathode as recited in claim 13 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise platinum and nickel present at a platinum:nickel molar ratio within a range of about 1:1 to about 4:1.

17. The cathode as recited in claim 16 , wherein the octahedral nanoparticles comprise platinum and nickel present at a platinum:nickel molar ratio of about 2:1.

18. The cathode as recited in claim 13 , wherein the secondary ionomer is present at a weight ratio relative to the platinum alloy within a range of 2:1 to 3:1.

19. The cathode as recited in claim 13 , wherein the secondary ionomer is present at a weight ratio relative to the platinum alloy within a range of 2.5:1 to 2.6:1.

20. A polymer electrolyte fuel cell comprising the cathode of claim 13 .

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Univ Akron
• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Huang Kan
• Zhou Li Q
• Jia Hongfei
• Kato Hisao
• Peng Zhenmeng
• Shen Xiaochen

Classifications

• H01M2008/1095

  Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes · CPC title

• H01M4/8647 Primary

  consisting of more than one material, e.g. consisting of composites · CPC title

• H01M4/8652 Primary

  as mixture · CPC title

• Y02E60/50

  Fuel cells · CPC title

• H01M8/10

  Fuel cells with solid electrolytes · CPC title