Electrode for fuel cell with prevented ionomer poisoning of catalyst and reduced elution and method of manufacturing same

Abstract

An electrode for a fuel cell comprises an electrode binder and an electrode catalyst dispersed therein. The electrode catalyst includes a catalyst complex with a catalytic metal supported on a support and a porous polymer coating layer. The porous polymer enhances performance by forming a core-shell structure on the catalytic metal surface. A method of manufacturing the electrode includes involving preparation of the catalyst complex, coating the catalytic metal with the porous polymer to form an electrode catalyst, combining the catalyst with an electrode binder to prepare a slurry, and applying the slurry onto a substrate. The porous polymer is optionally a polymer of intrinsic microporosity (PIM) or a copolymer, with molecular weight, composition, and thickness optimized for conductivity and performance. The electrode is suitable for use in a membrane-electrode assembly for fuel cells.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.