Fuel cell catalyst layer

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a first fuel cell flow plate;
• a second fuel cell flow plate;
• an electrolyte between the first and second fuel cell flow plates;
• a fuel cell catalyst layer between the first fuel cell flow plate and the electrolyte, the fuel cell catalyst layer comprising:
• carbon-containing particles;
• and
• a moiety covalently bound to the carbon-containing particles,
• wherein:
• a hydrophobicity of the fuel cell catalyst layer is greater than a hydrophobicity of the carbon-containing particles;
• the moiety comprises —(CH2)x(CF2)yAr(αH,βX)z;
• x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 0-10, wherein x, y, and z are each greater than zero;
• Ar(αH, βX) is an aromatic ring with a hydrogen atoms and β halogen atoms;
• and
• at least some of the β halogen atoms are fluorine atoms.

A method of making a fuel cell catalyst layer, the method comprising:

• covalently bonding carbon-containing particles with a moiety to provide the fuel cell catalyst layer,
• wherein:
• the fuel cell catalyst layer has a hydrophobicity greater than a hydrophobicity of the carbon-containing particles;
• the moiety comprises —(CH2)x(CF2)yAr(αH, βX)z;
• x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 0-10, wherein x, y, and z are each greater than zero;
• Ar(αH, βX) is an aromatic ring with α hydrogen atoms and β halogen atoms;
• and
• at least some of the β halogen atoms are fluorine atoms.

A fuel cell catalyst layer, comprising:

• carbon-containing particles;
• and
• a moiety covalently bound to the carbon-containing particles,
• wherein:
• a hydrophobicity of the fuel cell catalyst layer is greater than a hydrophobicity of the carbon-containing particles;
• the moiety comprises —(CH2)x(CF2)yAr(αH, βX)z;
• x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 0-10, wherein x, y, and z are each greater than zero;
• Ar(αH, βX) is an aromatic ring with α hydrogen atoms and βhalogen atoms;
• and
• Ar(αH, βX) comprises a moiety selected from the group consisting of —C6F5, —C6F4H, —C6F3H2, —C6F2H3, and —C6FH4.

A fuel cell system, comprising:

• a first fuel cell flow plate;
• a second fuel cell flow plate;
• an electrolyte between the first and second fuel cell flow plates;
• a fuel cell catalyst layer between the first fuel cell flow plate and the electrolyte, the fuel cell catalyst layer comprising:
• carbon-containing particles;
• and
• a moiety covalently bound to the carbon-containing particles,
• wherein:
• a hydrophobicity of the fuel cell catalyst layer is greater than a hydrophobicity of the carbon-containing particles;
• the moiety comprises —(CH2)x(CF2)yAr(αH,βX)z;
• x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 0-10, wherein x, y, and z are each greater than zero;
• Ar(αH, βX) is an aromatic ring with α hydrogen atoms and β halogen atoms;
• and
• Ar(αH, βX) comprises a moiety selected from the group consisting of —C6F5, —C6F4H, —C6F3H2, —C6F2H3, and —C6FH4.

A method of making a fuel cell catalyst layer, the method comprising:

• covalently bonding carbon-containing particles with a moiety to provide the fuel cell catalyst layer,
• wherein:
• the fuel cell catalyst layer has a hydrophobicity greater than a hydrophobicity of the carbon-containing particles;
• the moiety comprises —(CH2)x(CF2)yAr(αH,βX)z;
• x, y, and z are each independently an integer from 0-10, wherein x, y, and z are each greater than zero;
• Ar(αH, βX) is an aromatic ring with α hydrogen atoms and β halogen atoms;
• and
• Ar(αH, βX) comprises a moiety selected from the group consisting of —C6F5, —C6F4H, —C6F3H2, —C6F2H3, and —C6FH4.