Highly active and durable carbon support Pt-rare earth catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Abstract

Pt-rare earth catalysts are highly efficient novel electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) due to their high stability and activity. In this study, we prepare Pt-YOx/C catalysts using the traditional wet chemical reduction method. The optimal quantity of Y-oxides loaded onto the Pt/C surface is determined based on electrochemical performance using linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) and cyclic voltammetry (CV) methods. After accelerated durability tests (ADT), the remnant electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and mass active (MA) in Pt-YOx/C catalyst are relatively higher compared to the commercial Pt/C (JM). In the single-cell test, the maximum mass power densities of the MEAs prepared by self-made Pt-YOx/C and Pt/C (JM) catalysts in cathodes record at 1895 and 1371 mW mgPt−1, respectively, which shows a successful increment in platinum utilization. These results indicate that Pt-YOx/C catalyst can potentially improve the durability and lower the cost of PEMFCs.