Fuel cells having high capacitance anodes for mitigating air-air start degradation

A fuel cell comprising:

• a cathode electrode;
• an anode electrode having an anode catalyst supported on an anode catalyst support having a support surface area of less than or equal to 500 m2/g, the anode catalyst is mixed with a carbon material having a carbon material surface area of greater than 500 m2/g at a mixing ratio, a non-carbon material having a capacitance of greater than 0.1 F/cm2, and/or a carbon-containing composite material having a capacitance of greater than 0.1 F/cm2 to form a mixture;
• and
• a membrane extending between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, the anode electrode having a capacitance of greater than 0.1 F/cm2 in a potential window for operation of the fuel cell of −0.1 to 1.2 V versus a reversible hydrogen potential, the capacitance of the anode electrode mitigates degradation of the cathode electrode during an air-air start of the fuel cell.

A fuel cell comprising:

• a cathode electrode;
• an anode electrode having an anode catalyst supported on an anode catalyst support having a support surface area of less than or equal to 500 m2/g, the anode catalyst is mixed with a carbon material having a carbon material surface area of greater than 500 m2/g at a mixing ratio;
• and
• a membrane extending between the cathode electrode and the anode electrode, the anode electrode having a capacitance of greater than 0.1 F/cm2 in a potential window for operation of the fuel cell of −0.1 to 1.2 V versus a reversible hydrogen potential, the capacitance of the anode electrode mitigates degradation of the cathode electrode during an air-air start of the fuel cell.