Fuel Cell Power Generation System Research Articles

Modeling and Performance Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Generation System for Hypersonic Vehicles

Advanced airborne power generation technology represents one of the most effective solutions for meeting the electricity requirements of hypersonic vehicles during long-endurance flights. This paper proposes a power generation system that integrates a high-temperature fuel cell to tackle the challenges associated with power generation in the hypersonic field, utilizing techniques such as inlet pressurization, autothermal reforming, and anode recirculation. Firstly, the power generation system is modeled modularly. Secondly, the influence of key parameters on the system’s performance is analyzed. Thirdly, the performance of the power generation system under the design conditions is simulated and evaluated. Finally, the weight distribution and exergy loss of the system’s components under the design conditions are calculated. The results indicate that the system’s electrical efficiency increases with fuel utilization, decreases with rising current density and steam-to-carbon ratio (SCR), and initially increases before declining with increasing fuel cell operating temperature. Under the design conditions, the system’s power output is 48.08 kW, with an electrical efficiency of 51.77%. The total weight of the power generation system is 77.09 kg, with the fuel cell comprising 69.60% of this weight, resulting in a power density of 0.62 kW/kg. The exergy efficiency of the system is 55.86%, with the solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) exhibiting the highest exergy loss, while the mixer demonstrates the greatest exergy efficiency. This study supports the application of high-temperature fuel cells in the hypersonic field.

An Isolated High Gain Push Pull Type DC to DC Converter for Fuel Cell Power Generation Systems

Due to their high efficiency and low environmental impact, fuel cell power generation systems have emerged as promising alternatives to traditional energy sources. However, the integration of fuel cells into practical applications necessitates the development of efficient power conversion systems. dc-dc converters play a crucial role in optimizing the power flow between the fuel cell stack and the load. In this paper, a push-pull type high gain dc-dc converter is proposed which consists of a push-pull inverter, a rectifier circuit, and C-filter. The push pull inverter produces high frequency square wave output while the full bridge rectifier and C-filter convert this square wave output into desired dc voltage. The converter boosts the 12V dc input supply to 326 V, representing a gain factor of more than 27. The isolated coupling inductor used in push pull inverter produces high gain and provides electrical isolation. Besides, the proposed topology eliminates the use of bulky grid-connected power transformers that decreases the system size and cost. To evaluate the performance of the proposed topology, a number of simulations under varying loads were carried out in the MATLAB Simulink framework. Further-more, a scaled-down prototype of 160W at 12/326 V was developed to confirm the simulation results. The findings indicate that the suggested converter can be a viable option for the hydrogen fuel cell-based power conversion system. GUB JOURNAL OF SCIENCE AND ENGINEERING, Vol 10(1), 2023 P 37-52

Economic Analysis of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Systems Utilizing Natural Gas as Fuel

Solid oxide fuel cell power generation systems are devices that utilize solid electrolytes to transfer ions for electrochemical energy conversion. A wide range of gases can be used as fuel gas, including hydrogen, natural gas, and carbon monoxide. Considering the high cost of pure hydrogen, hydrogen production from natural gas reforming has become a hot research area. In this study, the 4F-LCA method was employed to construct an evaluation framework, with a particular emphasis on the cost analysis of solid oxide fuel cell power generation systems, and uses a bottom-up approach to build a system economic analysis model to visualize the major costs involved in the system. An economic benefit analysis and sensitivity analysis were carried out for the 2 kW natural gas solid oxide fuel cell as a case by taking the financial net present value (NPV), internal rate of return (IRR) and payback period into account. In this study, the investment cost and payback period of a 2 kW solid oxide fuel cell system are obtained, which can provide a reference for the project construction and operation of solid oxide fuel cell systems.

Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Generation System Based on Life Cycle Assessment—A Case Study in China

Environmental Impact Assessment of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Power Generation System Based on Life Cycle Assessment—A Case Study in China

Transient multi-objective optimization of solar and fuel cell power generation systems with hydrogen storage for peak-shaving applications

The present article introduces an innovative solution to improve performance efficiency while shaving the demand during peak hours. The idea focuses on efficient gas turbine and Rankine cycle hybridization for power and hydrogen production based on high-temperature heliostat solar towers. The proposed model is simulated via TRNSYS software to assess the performance transiently and then optimized through the artificial neural network in MATLAB program to minimize the calculation time. The key economic, environmental, and energy indicators are evaluated, compared, and optimized for this. According to the effect of main design parameters, including gas turbine inlet temperature, mass flow rate, and heliostat area, on the system's indicators, there is a conflictive trend among the power productivity, cost, and emission index, signifying the optimization significance. The optimization results show that the net power, efficiency, cost, and CO2 emissions are 298,300 GJ, 30.7%, 3.6 M$, and 20,760 tonnes under optimal conditions. This working condition is obtained by electing turbine inlet temperature, solar area, and airflow rate of 1087 °C, 91,200 m2, and 68,817, respectively. At this condition, while 71.18% of the yearly primary energy is provided by the sun, biomass meets the rest, showing the importance of renewable combination to achieve the highest independence from the grid. Finally, the system can generate an additional 585 kg/day of hydrogen that could be used in relevant industries.

Key technology and application of AB2 hydrogen storage alloy in fuel cell hydrogen supply system

At present, there is limited research on the application of fuel cell power generation system technology using solid hydrogen storage materials, especially in hydrogen-assisted two-wheelers. Considering the disadvantages of low hydrogen storage capacity and poor kinetics of hydrogen storage materials, our primary focus is to achieve smooth hydrogen ab-/desorption over a wide temperature range to meet the requirements of fuel cells and their integrated power generation systems. In this paper, the Ti0.9Zr0.1Mn1.45V0.4Fe0.15 hydrogen storage alloy was successfully prepared by arc melting. The maximum hydrogen storage capacity reaches 1.89 ​wt% at 318 ​K. The alloy has the capability to absorb 90% of hydrogen storage capacity within 50 ​s at 7 ​MPa and release 90% of hydrogen within 220 ​s. Comsol Multiphysics 6.0 software was used to simulate the hydrogen ab-/desorption processes of the tank. The flow rate of cooling water during hydrogen absorption varied in a gradient of (0.02 ​+ ​x) m s−1 (x = 0, 0.02, 0.04, 0.06, 0.08, 0.1, 0.12). Cooling water flow rate is positively correlated with the hydrogen absorption rate but negatively correlated with the cost. When the cooling rate is 0.06 m s−1, both simulation and experimentation have shown that the hydrogen storage tank is capable of steady hydrogen desorption for over 6 h at a flow rate of 2 L min−1. Based on the above conclusions, we have successfully developed a hydrogen-assisted two-wheeler with a range of 80 km and achieved regional demonstration operations in Changzhou and Shaoguan. This paper highlights the achievements of our team in the technological development of fuel cell power generation systems using solid hydrogen storage materials as hydrogen storage carriers and their application in two-wheelers in recent years.

Control strategy for the anode gas supply system in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell system

Stable pressure control can improve the lifespan, efficiency, and stability of proton exchange membrane fuel cell system (PEMFCs). We successfully implemented a feedforward-based proportion-integral controller (FPIC) to control the anode pressure of a 100 kW fuel cell system. The bench experimental results demonstrate that the fuel cell stack achieves a maximum efficiency of 62.3 %, while the fuel cell power generation system achieve a maximum efficiency of 53.5 %. Under the steady-state and dynamic conditions, the strategy achieves a pressure tracking control accuracy of 98.93 % and 94.47 %, respectively. To address the large overshoot phenomenon and slow response speed of the FPIC when controlling the anode pressure, we further design a second order active disturbance rejection controller (SOADRC). The simulation results show that the SOADRC exhibits higher control stability and lower overshoot than FPIC. Moreover, it demonstrates a 51.3 % increase in response speed and an 80.7 % improvement in control stability under steady-state conditions compared to FPIC. The evaluation metrics for the error integral criterion (eISE = 0.023, eITSE = 2.58, eIAE = 0.35, and eIEAE = 36.76) are lower than FPIC, which demonstrates that the SOADRC provides more precise control of anode pressure, and enhances the stability of PEMFCs.

Application of a PEM Fuel Cell Engine as a Small-Scale Power Generator for Small Cars with Different Fuel Concentrations

A fuel cell power generation system is a renewable energy system that works based on electrochemical processes and produces a direct electric current (DC). Specifically, a Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell can operate at low temperatures and produce an efficiency of around 40-60%. In this study, the performance test of the PEM Fuel Cell for power generation was carried out by supplying hydrogen gas using hydrogen from the electrolysis of the hydrogen generator with a variation of KOH catalyst solution with a concentration of 0.5 M; 1.0 M; 1.5 M; 2 M and using Ultra High Purity (UHP) hydrogen with various flow rates of 250 mL/min, 300 mL/min, 350 mL/min, 400 mL/min, 450 mL/min, and 500 mL/min. The test results showed that the output power of hydrogen produced by the electrolysis process was 10.8 W at a concentration of 1 M solutions at an input current of 20 A. The greater the concentration of the catalyst solution, the smaller the electrical power required for the electrolysis process. However, the hydrogen power supply produced by the hydrogen generator was not optimal, so it did not meet the needs of the PEM Fuel Cell. As a result, the PEM Fuel Cell could not work. Meanwhile, testing with UHP hydrogen produced the highest electrical power of 31.588 W at a flow rate of 450 mL/min with a load of 20 W. It indicates that the PEM Fuel Cell is optimal at the output power value with an efficiency of 69.80%.

Layout design and performance evaluation of hydrogen-fueled solid oxide fuel cell power generation system

This study aims to design different layouts of hydrogen-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) power generation systems and evaluate their performance differences from a thermodynamic perspective. According to the location of the afterburner and the heat transfer sequence of the gases, the system is divided into three groups of configurations, which are subdivided into 11 layouts. A comparative study is conducted to select the optimal system layout. To simulate the SOFC power generation system, a mathematical model of the SOFC stack and an iterative solution algorithm are developed to better fit the actual operation of the entire system. A single standard evaluation is conducted on the different system layouts from the perspectives of electric power output, total energy efficiency, and temperature uniformity between the SOFC anode and cathode inlet gases. Significant differences are found between these system layouts under two operating modes, fixed gas utilization and fixed gas flow, and each layout has its own advantages and disadvantages under various standards. To further evaluate the system performance, various indicators are normalised, and a comprehensive multi-indicator evaluation method is established. The results show that under high-current conditions at fixed gas utilization, the layout of direct combustion of the SOFC off-gases followed by the preheating of the anode and then the cathode inlet gases exhibit the optimal comprehensive performance. In the fixed gas flow operating mode, where each system reaches the peak power, the layout of the cathode and anode off-gases preheating their respective inlet gases before combustion exhibits the best overall performance.

Design of GWO based fuzzy MPPT controller for fuel cell fed EV application with high voltage gain DC-DC converter

As of now, the world is focusing on Electric Vehicle (EV) technology in order to meet the future electricity demand. The fuel cell plays an important role in the EV system for supplying the electricity to the motor. However, the fuel cell gives nonlinear power versus current characteristics. As a result, the peak power supply to the motor is very difficult. In this regard, the Maximum Power Point Tracking (MPPT) controller is interconnected with the fuel cell system for finding the required working point of the proposed system. In this work, a Grey Wolf Controller (GWC) based fuzzy technique is proposed for extracting the peak power of the fuel stack. The features of proposed power point tracking technique are high reliability, good tracking speed, fast convergence, less number of iterations needed to find out the MPP location, high efficient, and good dynamic response. Here, another drawback of fuel cell is low supply voltage which is overcome by using the high voltage gain DC-DC Converter. The features of proposed converter are less current stress on power semiconductor devices, high load current sharing capability, high voltage gain, few load voltage ripples, and good voltage stability. The proposed fuel cell power generation system performance is investigated by utilizing the MATLAB/Simulink window.

Current Sensorless MPPT With a CCM Interleaved Boost Converter for Renewable Energy System

The growing demand for energy and environmental concerns have attracted attention to renewable energy sources. In photovoltaic and fuel cell power generation systems, maximum power point tracking (MPPT) is required to achieve high efficiency. This article proposes an MPPT methodology, exploring the characteristics of an interleaved boost converter with switching cell and switching frequency modulation, enabling the operation without current sensors and with only one voltage sensor. In this converter, the input current is proportional to the input voltage and the switching period, making it a voltage follower, with the advantage of self-balancing current and no output voltage distortion in the input current. This article presents comparisons with other techniques, the mathematical analysis with the nonidealities included, the proposed MPPT principle of operation, and numerous experimental evaluations. The converter is analyzed for both single and combined variations in the irradiance and the temperature, ranging from 0 to 1000 W/m <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> and from 0 to 85 °C, with fabricated and real measured scenarios, resulting in a stable operation, high efficiency, and fast response. The MPPT mean efficiency, when evaluated with measured irradiance and temperature variations representing a complete operational day, is 99.30%. The converter has a maximum efficiency of 97.80%.

Implementation of Hybrid Solar/Li-ion Energy System for Quadcopter

Quadcopter drones are among the most common and widely used drones due to their ability to hover, which is essential in some applications, in addition to their easy control and their high stability to perform mechanical tasks in areas that can only be reached from the air. This work aims to provide a solution to the problem of the flight time of a quadcopter by proposing a model of an alternative energy system composed of a photovoltaic solar panel, which constitutes hybridization energy besides the Lithium-Ion battery. A fuel cell power generation system can be integrated into the proposed source to give additional flight time. Furthermore, each component of the quadcopter has been carefully selected, by taking into account the weight factor, propulsion efficiency, and energy density.

분산전력 제어를 위한 가정용 연료전지 시스템 설계

Energy used at home accounts for about 20% of the total energy used in the country, so efficient use of electricity used at home is very important for national energy conservation and reduction of pollution factors. Therefore, among the distributed fuel cells, the household fuel cell (RPG: Residential Power Generator) that is receiving the most attention is expected to be able to solve heating and cooling in the house and use electricity in 10 years without external help. In general, electric energy production always accompanies the production of heat, but the transport of heat for heating is very difficult. In the case of conventional power generation, electricity is generated from large-scale power generation and hot water is received from a boiler at home, whereas the fuel cell system has the advantage of being able to use heat because it produces electricity and heat directly at home. Therefore, the home is the best place to produce and consume heat and electricity at the same time. It is the most ideal place to use the supplied city gas to produce and use heat and electricity using a locally installed small fuel cell power generation system with low exhaust gas and no noise. It could be a household energy system. In this paper, the operation characteristics of a home fuel cell system for distributed power control are verified by designing and manufacturing a fuel cell simulator, a DC/DC step-up converter, and an inverter suitable for a home cogeneration system.

Characterizing SOFC Stack Electrochemical Performance at Elevated Pressure

Pressurized operation of high temperature fuel cell stacks is of increasing interest for a variety of applications, including high efficiency, hybrid solid-oxide fuel cell power generation systems. In this presentation, we report on our efforts to characterize the electrochemical performance of 1-kWeand 5-kWe Ceres Power SteelCell solid-oxide fuel cell stacks, with a focus on elevated pressure operation in the range of 2-5 barg. Increased pressure operation requires particular attention to pressure differentials across both the membrane electrode assembly and between the stack and surrounding atmosphere. The effort is part of a five-year U.S. DoE ARPA-E INTEGRATE program to combine the high efficiency of solid-oxide fuel cells with the high efficiency balance-of-plant equipment to demonstrate a 70%-efficient distributed power generator. In this architecture, the highly efficient solid-oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) are placed upstream of an internal combustion engine, where the anode tail gas, consisting of partially converted steam-reformed natural gas, is further utilized by the engine to produce electricity. The stacks are operated between 2-5 barg to maximize overall system efficiency and to increase SOFC power density.Few studies have been reported on SOFC stack operation at elevated pressures. The team at the Colorado School of Mines has designed and operated the pressurized stack test stand shown in the figure to characterize electrochemical performance of various kW-scale SOFC stack test modules developed by Ceres Power, Ltd. Minimizing pressure differentials across the anode and cathode during elevated-pressure operation is of primary concern. Excessive pressure on one side of the cell can cause substantial mechanical stress to the metal-supported membrane-electrode assemblies. Pressure differentials in this work are maintained below the manufacturer’s specifications of +/- 25 mbar at operating pressures of 0-5 barg. In addition to performance measurements at elevated pressures, studies have also been conducted on diluted fuel streams representative of high anode tail-gas recycle and various amounts of internal reforming. The stacks show steady, stable performance over all conditions tested.A fuel feed is produced with mass flow controllers that represents partially, steam-reformed natural gas with anode tail-gas recycle. A natural gas fuel processor will be incorporated into the stand at a later stage of the research program. Reactant gas feeds are preheated in multiple zones to properly control stack temperatures. The insulated stack test module is housed inside of a pressure vessel that has individual pressure control in order to minimize the pressure differentials between the internal flow channels of the stack and the surrounding environment. Exhaust gases exit the pressure vessel where heat exchangers are utilized to partially cool the 600°C gases before reaching back-pressure regulators.Stack operation is challenging because of the combination of a tight thermal operating window and the long system response time to changes in inlet conditions. These time constants become even larger at low air flow rates. Lower air flow (while maintaining required oxygen utilization) is desired in order to reduce the power required by the balance of plant, especially when operating at higher pressures. In order to mitigate this, a model predictive controller is being implemented. A dynamic model of the fuel cell was first tuned and validated against experimental transient response data. Then the resulting model was linearized at multiple operating points. The linearizations were then utilized within a gain-scheduled moving-horizon predictor that can take past input and output data, along with a proposed future input, and predict the future output response. The predictor performance has been validated, and then inserted into a model-predicative controller. Optimization algorithms select the input temperatures, flow rates, and electric current required to quickly reach a desired operating condition while meeting all operational constraints, including thermal constraints.In this talk, we will present our findings on the electrochemical performance of 1 and 5-kWe Ceres Power SteelCell stack test modules and the effects of pressure, fuel composition, anode recycle, and degree of internal reforming on stack performance. Results influence the design and net efficiency of the hybrid system. The trajectory of the research will be discussed. Figure 1

Simulative design and performance analysis of hybrid optimization technique for PEM fuel cell stack based EV application

The fuel cell power generation systems are using in most of the present hybrid Electric Vehicle (EV) technology. The output characteristics of fuel cell arenonlinear. Also, the fuel operating point fluctuate continuously based on its operating temperature condition. In order to track and stabilize the operating point fuel cell, an Artificial Neuro Fuzzy Inference System-Genetic Algorithm Optimization (ANFIS-GAO) method is used. The merits of this proposed Maximum Power Point Tracking Technique (MPPT) are high extraction power capacity, high reliability, less oscillations, and fast tracking speed. The fuel cell is having a drawback of high output current and its less output voltage generation capability. To overcome this issue, in this work, an interleaved dc-dc converter circuit is used to enhance the fuel cell energy. The advantages of the proposed dc-dc converter are low voltage stress across the switches, less input current ripples, faster response, reduced electromagnetic emission, and high reliability. The proposed hybrid power point tracking technique performance is evaluated against with the Variable Step-Perturb & Observe (VS-P&O) algorithm. The MATLAB/Simulink environment is used for the performance analysis of proposed system.

Study and performance test of 10\xa0kW molten carbonate fuel cell power generation system

The use of high-temperature fuel cells as a power technology can improve the efficiency of electricity generation and achieve near-zero emissions of carbon dioxide. This work explores the performance of a 10 kW high-temperature molten carbonate fuel cell. The key materials of a single cell were characterized and analyzed using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. The results show that the pore size of the key electrode material is 6.5 µm and the matrix material is α-LiAlO2. Experimentally, the open circuit voltage of the single cell was found to be 1.23 V. The current density was greater than 100 mA/cm2 at an operating voltage of 0.7 V. The 10 kW fuel cell stack comprised 80 single fuel cells with a total area of 2000 cm2 and achieved an open circuit voltage of greater than 85 V. The fuel cell stack power and current density could reach 11.7 kW and 104.5 mA/cm2 at an operating voltage of 56 V. The influence and long-term stable operation of the stack were also analyzed and discussed. The successful operation of a 10 kW high-temperature fuel cell promotes the large-scale use of fuel cells and provides a research basis for future investigations of fuel cell capacity enhancement and distributed generation in China.

Status of an MWth integrated gasification fuel cell power-generation system in China

Here, we provide a status update of an integrated gasification fuel cell (IGFC) power-generation system being developed at the National Institute of Clean-and-Low-Carbon in China at the megawatt thermal (MWth) scale. This system is designed to use coal as fuel to produce syngas as a first step, similar to that employed for the integrated gasification combined cycle. Subsequently, the solid-oxide fuel-cell (SOFC) system is used to convert chemical energy to electricity directly through an electrochemical reaction without combustion. This system leads to higher efficiency as compared with that from a traditional coal-fired power plant. The unreacted fuel in the SOFC system is transported to an oxygen-combustor to be converted to steam and carbon dioxide (CO2). Through a heat-recovery system, the steam is condensed and removed, and CO2 is enriched and captured for sequestration or utilization. Comprehensive economic analyses for a typical IGFC system was performed and the results were compared with those for a supercritical pulverized coal-fired power plant. The SOFC stacks selected for IGFC development were tested and qualified under hydrogen and simulated coal syngas fuel. Experimental results using SOFC stacks and thermodynamic analyses indicated that the control of hydrogen/CO ratio of syngas and steam/CO ratio is important to avoid carbon deposition with the fuel pipe. A 20-kW SOFC unit is under development with design power output of 20 kW and DC efficiency of 50.41%. A 100 kW-level subsystem will consist of 6 × 20-kW power-generation units, and the MWth IGFC system will consist of 5 × 100 kW-level subsystems.

Simulation of Fuel Cell Power Generation System Based on AMESim

Fuel cell has become the main power source of the fuel cell electric vehicle due to its advantages of high ideal energy conversion efficiency, low noise, high reliability and maintainability. The fuel cell power generation system is an integrated system including the fuel cell stack. Its physical model covers many subjects such as electricity, thermodynamics, hydrodynamics and electrochemistry, which makes it difficult to change the simulation of fuel cell power generation system. In order to study the characteristics of fuel cell system, the model of proton exchange membrane fuel cell system is set up using AMESim. The model mainly includes fuel cell stack, gas supply subsystem, cooling subsystem and DC/DC converter. On this basis, the characteristics of fuel cell stack and its subsystems under dynamic conditions are analyzed.

Research on energy management strategy of fuel cell power generation system based on Grey–Markov chain power prediction

Fuel cell power generation system is a potential renewable power source. To reduce hydrogen consumption and enhance the dynamic performance of the system, Grey–Markov chain power prediction energy management strategy for fuel cell power generation systems was proposed. Firstly, topology of the system is proposed, and mathematical model was established through mechanism analysis. Secondly, framework of power prediction of the system was presented, and Grey–Markov chain model was proposed to predict load power of the fuel cell power system, based on which energy management of the system was implemented. Finally, the proposed energy management strategy was compared with rule-based strategy by experiment. The results show that the proposed power prediction energy management strategy can accurately predict the load power in advance and reduce hydrogen consumption in the fuel cell power generation system.

Magnéli Phase Ti9O17- Catalyst Support Materials for ORR

The durability of catalysts in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) is an important issue that must be addressed before their commercialization since catalyst durability directly reflects the life and cost of fuel cell power-generation systems [1]. Although many factors could play a role in the mechanism of catalyst degradation, the major contributors are believed to be i) dissolution of Pt and re-deposition (Ostwald ripening), ii) coalescence via crystal migration, and iii) detachment of Pt particles from the carbon support [2]. Among these, Pt detachment is strongly affected by the corrosion of the carbon support materials. Conventional carbon blacks, such as Vulcan XC72, are superior catalyst-support materials because of their cost and physicochemical properties. However, carbon is not stable based on thermodynamic considerations under the cathode conditions in a PEMFC: C + 2H2O → CO2 + 4H+ + 4e− E0 = 0.207 V vs. RHE Although this reaction proceeds slowly at potentials <0.8 V in a PEMFC [3], corrosion reactions are significantly accelerated under high potential conditions. Therefore, alternative catalyst-support materials that are highly oxidation-resistant are necessary. In order to improve the stability of the catalyst support, considerable work has been done over the past few decades on non-carbon support materials [4].In this presentation, we have focused on oxygen-deficient, sub-stoichiometric titanium oxide (TinO2n−1, known as Magnéli phase) as a potential oxidation-resistant cathode catalyst support in PEFCs. This leads to improving specific activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to the formation of Pt–Ti alloy particles on the TiOx support, as well as the improve dispersion of Pt due to the deposition of smaller catalyst particles. The Magnéli phase Ti9O17 is synthesized and characterized (Fig. 1) by XRD. The Pt/Ti9O17 will be synthesized, and the ORR activity and stability will be investigated. A comparative study will be performed to those of a conventional Pt/C catalyst.