Minimization of Pt content in Pt-CeO2 composite anode

Hirotaka Togasaki, Toshiyuki Mori, Motoi Takahashi, Akio Tada, Vladimir Matolin, John Drennan
2008 Transactions of the Materials Research Society of Japan  
Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) are attracting much attention as clean and efficient power sources. Pt-Ru alloy anode has been developed for industrial applications. However, the resources of both Pt and Ru are limited on our planet. In the present work, Pt-Ce0 2 composite anodes were prepared. We examined the influence of surface activity of substrate Ce0 2 on anode performance of Pt-Ce0 2 composites for development of high quality anodes in DMFCs. The surface area of Ce0 2 particles was
more » ... nged by a control of dropping speed of cerium nitrate aqueous solution into ammonium carbonate aqueous solution. The peak current density of methanol oxidation on Pt(30wt% )-Ce0 2 composite anodes increased with an increase of surface area ofCe0 2 up to 51m 2 /g. The current density ofPt(30wt%)-Ce0 2 (Ce0 2 : 51m 2 /g) composite anode was 1.8 times higher than that on commercially available Pt-Ru alloy anode. On the other hand, the current density ofPt(5wt%)-Ce0 2 (Ce0 2 : 51m 2 /g) was also higher than that on Pt-Ru alloy anode. Those results indicate that the anode performance on Pt-Ce0 2 /CB can be maximized and Pt content in Pt-Ce0 2 /CB can be minimized by a design of interface between Pt and active Ce0 2 .
doi:10.14723/tmrsj.33.1097 fatcat:xq6hytr2pjfkvohk5jztf5iqbu