Diamond-like carbon based electrocatalytic coating for fuel cell electrodes
AssigneeSouthwest Research Institue
InventorGeoffrey Dearnaley
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Abstract
The present invention provides a low-temperature method for producing electrocatalytic coatings for fuel cell electrodes. The electrocatalytic coating comprises a thin-film of diamond-like carbon doped with finely-dispersed catalytic agent, preferably platinum, platinum-ruthenium, or other catalytically active materials. The method may be scaled-up as a highly economical reel-to-reel process comparable to the manufacture of coated polymers for food packaging applications.
Claims20
A method for forming an electrocatalytic coating for a fuel cell electrode comprising:
- placing a substrate in a vacuum chamber;
- vaporizing a diamond-like carbon precursor and
- a catalytic agent to form a flux comprising a vaporized mixture of said precursor and said catalytic agent;
- condensing said flux onto said substrate in a vacuum for a time sufficient to form a film of said flux on said substrate and at a temperature low enough to avoid damaging said substrate;
- substantially simultaneously bombarding said substrate with an energetic beam of ions at an energy, a density, and for a time sufficient to form an electrocatalytic coating on said substrate.
A method for forming an electrocatalytic coating for a fuel cell electrode comprising:
- placing a substrate comprising a porous membrane in a vacuum chamber;
- vaporizing a diamond-like carbon precursor and a catalytic agent to form a flux comprising a mixture of vapors of said precursor and said catalytic agent, wherein said catalytic agent is selected from the group of platinum and a combination of platinum and ruthenium;
- condensing said flux onto said substrate in a vacuum for a time sufficient to form a film of said flux on said substrate and at a temperature of less than about 80.degree. C. (176.degree. F.);
- substantially simultaneously bombarding said substrate with an energetic beam of ions at an energy, a density, and for a time sufficient to form an electrocatalytic coating on said substrate.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.