# US 12,015,160 B2 · Nanowire catalyst for fuel cell and method of manufacturing same > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 12,015,160 B2 - Document ID: US12015160B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 17/547,609 - Filed: 2021-12-10 - Published: 2022-12-29 - Granted: 2024-06-18 - Earliest claimed: 2021-06-23 - Assignees: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Applicants: Hyundai Motor Company; Kia Corporation - Inventors: Dong Yoon Shin - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12015160B2 ## CPC - H01M 4/8885: {Sintering or firing} - H01M 4/86: Inert electrodes with catalytic activity, e.g. for fuel cells - H01M 4/8605: {Porous electrodes} - H01M 4/88: Processes of manufacture - H01M 4/8882: {Heat treatment, e.g. drying, baking} - H01M 4/90: Selection of catalytic material - H01M 4/9041: {Metals or alloys (H01M4/92 takes precedence)} - H01M 4/9058: {of noble metals or noble-metal based alloys} - H01M 4/9083: {on carbon or graphite} - H01M 4/92: Metals of platinum group (H01M4/94 {, H01M4/9058} take precedence) - H01M 4/921: {Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements} - H01M 4/926: {on carbon or graphite} - H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes} - Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells - H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract A nanowire catalyst for a fuel cell has a porous structure in which first and second pores having predetermined pore sizes are uniformly dispersed inside and on the surface thereof at a predetermined volume ratio. This enables the efficient exposure of active sites and efficient mass transfer, thereby improving fuel cell performance. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of manufacturing a nanowire catalyst for a fuel cell, the method comprising: preparing a first mixture by mixing a first polymer precursor and a first metal precursor in a first solvent; preparing a second mixture by adding a second polymer precursor to the first mixture; electrospinning the second mixture; and heat-treating a resultant product resulting from the electrospinning; wherein the heat-treating of the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning comprises: subjecting the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning to a primary heat treatment for pyrolysis of the second polymer precursor; and subjecting a resultant product resulting from the pyrolysis to a secondary heat treatment for carbonization in a reducing atmosphere; wherein the primary heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 550° C. to 650° C. in an air atmosphere; and wherein the secondary heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 200° C. to 300° C. in the reducing atmosphere comprising hydrogen. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first solvent comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of ethanol (EtOH), dimethylformamide (DMF), propanol (PrOH), methanol (MeOH), trifluoroacetic acid (TFA), dichloromethane (DCM), and dimethylacetamide (DMAc). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first metal precursor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a platinum salt, a palladium salt, a gold salt, a silver salt, and an iridium salt. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the first polymer precursor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), polyacrylonitrile (PAN), polycaprolactone (PCL), polylactic acid (PLA), polyimide (PI), and polyurea (PU). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second polymer precursor is a polymer having a lower pyrolysis temperature than the first polymer precursor. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, wherein the second polymer precursor is included in a content of 10% to 20% by weight with respect to the total weight of the polymer precursors. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising: adding a second metal precursor during the preparing of the first mixture; and performing acid treatment after the heat-treating of the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning is performed. ### Claim 8 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the second metal precursor is a metal salt having a lower density than a first metal and being soluble in acid. ### Claim 9 (depends on 7) The method of claim 7, wherein the second metal precursor is mixed in a content that is four to five times a content of the first metal precursor. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further comprising adding a second solvent during the preparing of the first mixture. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the second solvent has a lower volatilization temperature than the first solvent. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method of claim 10, wherein the second solvent is included in a content of 10% to 25% by weight with respect to the total weight of the solvents. ### Claim 13 A method of manufacturing a nanowire catalyst for a fuel cell, the method comprising: preparing a first mixture by mixing a first polymer precursor and a first metal precursor in a first solvent; preparing a second mixture by adding a second polymer precursor to the first mixture; electrospinning the second mixture; and heat-treating a resultant product resulting from the electrospinning, wherein the heat-treating of the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning comprises: subjecting the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning to a primary heat treatment for pyrolysis of the second polymer precursor; and subjecting a resultant product resulting from the pyrolysis to a secondary heat treatment for carbonization in a reducing atmosphere, wherein the primary heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 550° C. to 650° C. in an air atmosphere, wherein the secondary heat treatment is performed at a temperature of 200° C. to 300° C. in the reducing atmosphere, wherein the first metal precursor comprises at least one selected from the group consisting of a platinum salt, a palladium salt, a gold salt, a silver salt, and an iridium salt. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising: adding a second metal precursor during the preparing of the first mixture; and performing acid treatment after the heat-treating of the resultant product resulting from the electrospinning is performed. ### Claim 15 (depends on 13) The method of claim 13, further comprising adding a second solvent during the preparing of the first mixture.