Abstract
Enhancing oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and simultaneously reducing usage of noble metal catalysts are significantly important both in fundamental and applied science communities for polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs). In this work, we confirm the proton conductor (perfluorosulfonic acid, containing [Formula: see text]SO3H) can promote the specific activity [Formula: see text] of metal catalysts toward ORR. Herein, Pt nanoparticles (NPs) with a small and narrow size distribution are encapsulated with perfluorosulfonic acid through a simple colloidal route. The resulting catalyst obtains about two times [Formula: see text] towards ORR than that of the pristine Pt/C. Significantly, the amount of [Formula: see text]SO3H groups is controlled by a heat-treatment method to investigate the influence of [Formula: see text]SO3H groups on [Formula: see text]. The results evidence the contribution of [Formula: see text]SO3H groups to elevating the ORR specific activity. The mechanism can be ascribed to the [Formula: see text]SO3H groups which effectively promote the transfer process of reaction species (e.g., H[Formula: see text], H2O), improving the triple-phase boundary (TPB).
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