Electrocatalyst structures for an electrode

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2019379057-A1
Application number	US-201916439277-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 12, 2019
Priority date	Jun 12, 2018
Publication date	Dec 12, 2019
Grant date	—

Abstract

In one aspect, the disclosure relates to method of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst, and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the one or more second layer comprises a second electrocatalyst, wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers, collectively, form a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure on the electrode. Also disclosed are electrodes having a multi-layer electrocatalyst structure. This abstract is intended as a scanning tool for purposes of searching in the particular art and is not intended to be limiting of the present disclosure.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A method of forming an electrocatalyst structure on an electrode, comprising:
depositing a first layer on the electrode using atomic layer deposition (ALD), wherein the first layer comprises a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst; and depositing one or more of a second layer on the first layer and the electrode using ALD, wherein the each of the one or more second layers independently comprises a second electrocatalyst; wherein the first layer and the one or more second layers collectively form a deposited electrocatalyst structure on the electrode.

2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first electrocatalyst comprises a noble metal.

3 . The method of claim 2 , wherein the first electrocatalyst comprises platinum (Pt).

4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the discrete nanoparticles of the deposited electrocatalyst structure have an average particle size of less than about 200 nanometers in the largest dimension

5 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electrocatalyst comprises an electronically conducting material that has catalytic activity for ORR.

6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electrocatalyst comprises a metal oxide comprising one or more transition metals.

7 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the second electrocatalyst comprises a metal oxide comprising manganese cobalt, or both, having the formula (Mn 1-y Co y ) 3 O 4 , wherein y has a value from 0.0 to 1.0.

8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein each of the one or more second layers of the deposited electrocatalyst structure, independently, has a thickness of from about 1 nanometers to about 200 nanometers.

9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the method further comprises subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation at a temperature equal to or greater than about 650° C., resulting in the transformation of the deposited electrocatalyst structure to an operated electrocatalyst structure.

10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in a plurality of pores or fissures extending through the thickness of the second layer.

11 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in the formation of a plurality of discrete nanograins of the second electrocatalyst separated by intergranular grain boundaries.

12 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in the formation of a plurality of triple phase boundaries at the intergranular grain boundaries.

13 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in at least a portion of the plurality of the nanoparticles of the first electrocatalyst populating adjacent one or more of the triple phase boundaries at the intergranular grain boundaries.

14 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in the formation of a plurality of coupled grains comprising one of the plurality of nanoparticles of the first electrocatalyst, and a nanograin of the second electrocatalyst.

15 . The method of claim 9 , wherein the subjecting the electrode to electrochemical operation results in the formation of a plurality of core-shell nanostructures, each core-shell nanostructure comprising a core comprising a nanoparticle of the first electrocatalyst, that is at least partially covered by a shell comprising the second electrocatalyst.

16 . An electrode comprising
a first electrode substrate, an electrocatalyst nanostructure disposed on the first electrode substrate and comprising:
a first layer disposed on at least one surface of the first electrode substrate, and comprising a plurality of discrete nanoparticles of a first electrocatalyst; and
one or more of a second layer disposed superjacent the first layer and the first electrode substrate, wherein each of the one or more second layer independently comprising a second electrocatalyst.

17 . The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the first electrocatalyst is platinum.

18 . The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the plurality of discrete nanoparticles have an average particle size of less than about 200 nanometers in the largest dimension.

19 . The electrode of claim 16 , wherein the second electrocatalyst comprises a metal oxide comprising manganese cobalt, or both, having the formula (Mn 1-y Co y ) 3 O 4 , wherein y has a value from 0.0 to 1.0.

20 . An electrochemical energy conversion device comprising the electrode of claim 16 .

Assignees

• Univ West Virginia

Inventors

• Song Xueyan
• Chen Yun
• Gerdes Kirk

Classifications

• H01M4/9025

  Oxides specially used in fuel cell operating at high temperature, e.g. SOFC · CPC title

• H01M4/8621

  containing only metallic or ceramic material, e.g. made by sintering or sputtering · CPC title

• H01M4/8867

  Vapour deposition · CPC title

• H01M4/8657 Primary

  layered · CPC title

• H01M4/9033

  Complex oxides, optionally doped, of the type M1MeO3, M1 being an alkaline earth metal or a rare earth, Me being a metal, e.g. perovskites · CPC title