Fuel cell oxygen electrode
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the United States Department of Energy
InventorsHoward R. Shanks, Albert J. Bevolo, Gordon C. Danielson, Michael F. Weber
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Abstract
An oxygen electrode for a fuel cell utilizing an acid electrolyte has a substrate of an alkali metal tungsten bronze of the formula: A.sub.x WO.sub.3 where A is an alkali metal and x is at least 0.2, which is covered with a thin layer of platinum tungsten bronze of the formula: Pt.sub.y WO.sub.3 where y is at least 0.8.
Claims8
A cathode for use in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell comprising:
- a substrate of electrically conductive tungsten bronze crystal of the formula A.sub.x WO.sub.3 where A is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium and cesium and x is at least 0.2 and a catalytic layer on the substrate wherein the alkali metal ions of the substrate have been replaced by platinum ions to form a platinum tungsten bronze of the formula Pt.sub.y WO.sub.3 where y is at least 0.5.
In combination with a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell which includes an anode, a cathode and an acid electrolyte positioned therebetween and communicating with the anode and cathode, the improvement which comprises the cathode, wherein the cathode consists of a substrate of electrically conductive tungsten bronze crystal of the formula A.sub.x WO.sub.3 where A is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium and cesium and x is at least 0.2, and a catalytic layer on the substrate wherein the alkali metal ions of the substrate have been replaced by platinum ions to form a platinum tungsten bronze having the formula Pt.sub.y WO.sub.3 where y is at least 0.5.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.