Carbon-supported catalysts for fuel cells
AssigneeBallard Power System Inc.
InventorsStephen A. Campbell, Jason Edward Chisham, David P. Wilkinson
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Carbon-supported catalysts are frequently employed in the electrodes of solid polymer fuel cells in order to make efficient use of the catalyst therein. The catalyst utilization in the electrode and the fuel cell performance can be further improved by introducing acidic surface oxide groups on the carbon-supported catalyst. The introduction of acidic surface oxide groups on the carbon-supported catalyst can be accomplished by treating the carbon-supported catalyst with a suitable acid, such as nitric acid, before incorporating the carbon-supported catalyst in a fuel cell electrode. The present technique is particularly suitable for use in solid polymer fuel cell cathodes.
Claims27
A solid polymer fuel cell electrode comprising a carbon-supported catalyst wherein the surface of the carbon-supported catalyst comprises sufficient acidic surface oxide groups such that the pH of the carbon-supported catalyst is less than 5.
A solid polymer fuel cell electrode comprising a carbon-supported catalyst wherein the carbon-supported catalyst has been chemically oxidized with a solution comprising an oxidizing species such that the pH of the carbon-supported catalyst is less than 5.
A method for improving the performance of a solid polymer fuel cell, the method comprising incorporating a carbon-supported catalyst in an electrode of the fuel cell wherein the surface of the carbon-supported catalyst has sufficient acidic surface oxide groups such that the pH of the carbon-supported catalyst is less than 5.
A method for improving the performance of a solid polymer fuel cell, the method comprising the steps of:
- (a) chemically oxidizing a carbon-supported catalyst with a solution comprising an oxidizing species such that the pH of the carbon-supported catalyst is less than 5;
- and
- (b) incorporating the carbon-supported catalyst in an electrode of the fuel cell.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.