Method for the production of electrocatalyst powders
AssigneeCabot Corporation
InventorsMark J. Hampden-Smith, Toivo T. Kodas, Plamen Atanassov, Paolina Atanassova, Klaus Kunze, Paul Napolitano, David Dericotte
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Electrocatalyst powders and methods for producing electrocatalyst powders, such as carbon composite electrocatalyst powders. The powders have a well-controlled microstructure and morphology. The method includes forming the particles from an aerosol of precursors by heating the aerosol to a relatively low temperature, such as not greater than about 400° C.
Claims59
A method for the production of composite electrocatalyst particles, comprising the steps of:
- a) generating an aerosol of droplets from a precursor liquid wherein said precursor liquid comprises at least a first support phase precursor and at least a first active species phase precursor;
- b) moving said droplets in a carrier gas;
- and
- c) heating said droplets by passing said droplets through a heating zone having a reaction temperature of not greater than about 400° C. to remove liquid therefrom and react at least one of said first support phase precursor and said first active species phase precursor to form composite electrocatalyst particles wherein said active species phase is dispersed on said support phase.
A method for the production of composite electrocatalyst particles, comprising the steps of:
- a) forming a liquid precursor comprising a particulate carbon precursor and at least a first precursor to an active species phase;
- b) generating an aerosol of droplets from said liquid precursor;
- and
- c) heating said aerosol of droplets in a spray dryer to form electrocatalyst particles wherein said first precursor is converted to an active species phase dispersed on particulate carbon.
A method for making a powder batch comprising composite electrocatalyst particles having at least a first active species phase dispersed on a support, said first active species phase comprising platinum metal, comprising the steps of:
- a) dispersing support phase particles in a precursor solution comprising a platinum precursor selected from the group consisting of H2PtCl6.xH2O, Pt(NH3)4(NO3)2 and H2Pt(OH)6;
- b) forming said platinum precursor and said support phase particles into droplets;
- c) heating said droplets while said droplets are dispersed in a gas to form said composite electrocatalyst particles;
- and
- d) collecting said electrocatalyst particles to form a powder batch.
A method for making composite electrocatalyst particles comprising an active species phase dispersed on a support phase, comprising the steps of:
- a) providing an active species phase precursor;
- b) providing a support phase precursor;
- and
- c) heating said active species phase precursor on the surface of said support phase precursor for a time of not greater than about 4 seconds to form an electrocatalyst particle comprising said active species phase dispersed on said support phase.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.