Ternary PtRuPd/C Catalyst for High‐Performance, Low‐Temperature Direct Dimethyl Ether Fuel Cells

Abstract

AbstractDimethyl ether (DME) is a promising alternative fuel option for direct‐feed low‐temperature fuel cells. Until recently, DME had not received the same attention as alcohol fuels, such as methanol or ethanol, despite its notable advantages. These advantages include a high theoretical open‐cell voltage (1.18 V at 25 °C) that is similar to that of methanol (1.21 V), much lower toxicity than methanol, and no need for the carbon−carbon bond scission that is needed in ethanol oxidation. DME is biodegradable, has a higher energy content than methanol (8.2 vs. 6.1 kWh kg−1), and, like methanol, can be synthesized from recycled carbon dioxide. Although the performance of direct DME fuel cells (DDMEFCs) has progressed over the past few years, DDMEFCs have not been viewed as fully viable. In this work, we report much improved performance from the ternary Pt55Ru35Pd10/C anode catalyst, allowing DDMEFCs to compete directly with direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). We also report results involving binary Pt alloys as reference catalysts and an in situ infrared electrochemical study to better understand the mechanism of DME electro‐oxidation on ternary PtRuPd/C catalysts.