# US 10,483,554 B2 · Carbon support for fuel cell catalyst and preparation method thereof

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- Number: US 10,483,554 B2
- Document ID: US10483554B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/979,877
- Filed: 2015-12-28
- Published: 2017-01-05
- Granted: 2019-11-19
- Earliest claimed: 2015-07-01
- Assignees: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
- Applicants: Korea Institute of Science and Technology
- Inventors: Jin Young Kim; Sung Jong Yoo; Dirk Henkensmeier; Jong Hyun Jang; Hyoung-Juhn Kim; Yeon Hun Jeong; Nayoung Kim; Chang Won Yoon; Jonghee Han; Suk Woo Nam; Tae Hoon Lim
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10483554B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/8817: {Treatment of supports before application of the catalytic active composition (coated porous composites H01M8/0245)}
- B01J 27/24: Nitrogen compounds
- H01M 4/9083: {on carbon or graphite}
- H01M 4/926: {on carbon or graphite}
- C01B 2203/1082: Composition of support materials
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS
- C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C}
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

Disclosed is a carbon support for a fuel cell catalyst that supports a metal. The carbon support includes a conductive carbon support and nitrogen atoms doped into the conductive carbon support. Also disclosed is a method for preparing the carbon support. Also disclosed is a catalyst including the carbon support. The catalyst has greatly improved degradation resistance compared to conventional catalysts for fuel cells. In addition, the catalyst is not substantially degraded even when applied to a single cell.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A method for preparing a nitrogen-doped carbon support for a fuel cell catalyst, the method comprising:
(A) mixing a conductive carbon support with a nitrogen-containing organic material;
(B) primarily annealing the mixture at 90 to 150° C. for 2 to 10 hours in a normal air atmosphere so as to react nitrogen atoms of the nitrogen-containing material with the support; and
(C) secondarily annealing the primarily annealed mixture at 600 to 750° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere
so as to completely dope the nitrogen atoms into the support.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (A), the conductive carbon support is mixed with the nitrogen-containing organic material in a weight ratio of 1:1-2.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (A), the conductive carbon support and the nitrogen-containing organic material are dissolved in at least one solvent selected from the group consisting of distilled water and methanol, ethanol, and ethylene glycol as organic solvents.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (A), the conductive carbon support is selected from the group consisting of carbon black, acetylene black, graphite, graphene, fullerenes, and combinations thereof.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the fullerenes are in the form of carbon nanotubes (CNTs).

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The method according to claim 4, wherein the graphite is in the form of graphite nanofibers (GNFs).

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein in step (A), the nitrogen-containing organic material is selected from the group consisting of dicyandiamide, pyrrole, aniline, phthalocyanine, porphyrin, acetonitrile, cyanamide, acrylonitrile, polypyrrole, polyaniline, polyacrylonitrile, melamine, and mixtures thereof.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary annealing is performed for 3 to 5 hours.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the primary annealing is performed at 100 to 120° C.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the reaction forms a carbonitride.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the secondary annealing is performed at 550 to 700° C.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The method according to claim 1, wherein the amount of the nitrogen atoms doped into the conductive carbon support is from 5 to 50 parts by volume, based on 100 parts by volume of the conductive carbon support.