Fuel cell cathode catalyst

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2023327139-A1
Application number	US-202318334187-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jun 13, 2023
Priority date	Dec 27, 2019
Publication date	Oct 12, 2023
Grant date	—

Abstract

A fuel cell catalyst for oxygen reduction reactions including Pt—Ni—Cu nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon (MPC) having enhanced activity and durability, and method of making said catalyst. The catalyst is synthesized by employing a solid state chemistry method, which involves thermally pretreating a N-doped MPC to remove moisture from the surface; impregnation of metal precursors on the N-doped MPC under vacuum condition; and reducing the metal precurors in a stream of CO and H2 gas mixture.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A catalyst comprising Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon.

2 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein said nanoparticles have an octahedral or rhombic shape and a particle size from about 8-10 nm.

3 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , wherein the Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon have enhanced ORR activity and durability.

4 . The catalyst according to claim 1 , obtained by a method comprising:
thermally pretreating a nitrogen-doped MPC support material to remove moisture; evacuating the pretreated nitrogen-doped MPC support to further remove air from pores in the support; impregnating metal precursors comprising platinum, nickel, and copper onto the pretreated nitrogen-doped MPC under vacuum condition to obtain a precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped MPC support material; heating the precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped MPC support material to a functional temperature in a range of from 150° C. to 300° C.; and delivering a functional gas comprising a gas mixture which comprises H 2 and CO to the precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped MPC support material, the metal precursors reacting with the functional gas to form shaped platinum alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped MPC.

5 . The catalyst according to claim 4 , wherein thermally pretreating comprises heating the nitrogen-doped MPC to a first temperature in an atmosphere comprising air, Ar, N 2 , O 2 or combinations thereof.

6 . The catalyst according to claim 4 , wherein thermally pretreating comprises heating the nitrogen-doped MPC in air.

7 . The catalyst according to claim 4 , wherein the method comprises delivering the functional gas at a partial pressure ratio of from 0:100 to 1:1 of H 2 to CO, and a volumetric flow rate of from 10 sccm to 1000 sccm.

8 . The catalyst according to claim 4 , wherein the method further comprises maintaining the functional temperature for a period of from 0 hours to 5 hours in the presence of a functional gas.

9 . Platinum alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon (MPC), obtained by a method comprising:
in a chamber removing moisture from a nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material, the nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material having one or more pores; evacuating the nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material to further remove air from the pores; applying a vacuum to the chamber; delivering precursors comprising platinum, nickel, and copper to obtain a precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material; purging the chamber using a purge gas; heating the precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material to a functional temperature in a range of from 150 ° C. to 300 ° C.; and delivering a functional gas comprising a gas mixture which comprises H 2 and CO to the precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material, the precursors reacting with the functional gas to form shaped platinum alloy nanoparticles within the one or more pores of the nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material.

10 . The platinum alloy nanoparticles according to claim 9 , wherein heating of the precursor-impregnated nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon material is at a ramping rate of 15° C/min to 200° C.

11 . The platinum alloy nanoparticles according to claim 10 , wherein the method further comprises maintaining at 200° C. for 1 hour in H2/CO (5/120 cm 3 /min).

12 . A method for oxygen reduction catalysis, said method comprises employing a catalyst which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

13 . A method for oxygen evolution catalysis, said method comprises employing a catalyst which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

14 . A method for formic acid oxidation catalysis, said method comprises employing a catalyst which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

15 . A method for methanol oxidation catalysis, said method comprises employing a catalyst, which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

16 . A method for ethanol oxidation catalysis, said method comprises employing a catalyst, which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

17 . A fuel cell comprising a catalyst, which comprises Pt—Cu—Ni alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped mesoporous carbon according to claim 1 .

18 . The fuel cell according to claim 17 , which is a hydrogen proton exchange membrane fuel cell, a direct formic acid fuel cell, a direct methanol fuel cell, a direct ethanol fuel cell, or a metal air battery.

Assignees

• Toyota Eng & Mfg North America
• Univ Akron

Inventors

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

Classifications

• H01M4/926 Primary

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M2004/8689

  Positive electrodes · CPC title

• H01M4/9083 Primary

  on carbon or graphite · CPC title

• H01M4/921

  Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements · CPC title

• H01M2300/0005

  Acid electrolytes · CPC title