Oxidation resistant electrode for fuel cell
OwnerAndrew Mance, Mei Cai +2inventors
InventorsAndrew Mance, Mei Cai, Cecilia Carriquiry, Martin Ruthkosky
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Abstract
An oxygen reducing electrode for a fuel cell comprises carbon particles as support for catalyst particles. The carbon particles are coated with smaller particles of a metal oxide and/or metal phosphate (for example, TiO2 particles) to impede destructive oxidation (corrosion) of the carbon particles while permitting suitable electrical conductivity between the carbon particles. The catalyst is carried on the smaller particle-coated carbon particles. Titanium dioxide particles can be dispersed on carbon particles suspended in a liquid medium by ultrasonic decomposition of a suitable titanium precursor compound.
Claims20
A fuel cell electrode comprising:
- carbon particles carrying a coating of smaller particles of a metal oxide and/or a metal phosphate as a supporting material for particles of a catalyst, the coating of smaller particles being formed to impede oxidation of the carbon particles while permitting conduction of electrons between the carbon particles, and
- particles of a catalyst on the supporting material of carbon particles and smaller coating particles.
A fuel cell comprising:
- a polymer electrolyte membrane having an anode and an oxygen-reducing cathode;
- the oxygen reducing cathode comprising carbon particles carrying a coating of smaller particles of a metal oxide as a supporting material for particles of a catalyst, the coating of smaller particles being formed to impede oxidation of the carbon particles while permitting conduction of electrons between the carbon particles, and
- particles of a catalyst on the supporting material of carbon particles and smaller coating particles.
A fuel cell as recited in calm 8 in which the particles of catalyst comprise platinum.
A method of making an oxygen reducing electrode for a fuel cell comprising a polymer electrolyte membrane, an anode and an oxygen reducing cathode, the method comprising:
- dispersing carbon particles in a liquid medium;
- dispersing a precursor compound of a metal oxide or metal phosphate in the liquid medium;
- subjecting the liquid medium to ultrasonic vibrations to decompose the precursor compound and deposit the metal oxide or phosphate as a coating of metal oxide or phosphate particles on the carbon particles;
- and, subsequently
- depositing particles of a catalyst on metal oxide or phosphate particle coated carbon particles.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.