# US 9,006,133 B2 · Electrochemical catalysts for fuel cells

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- Number: US 9,006,133 B2
- Document ID: US9006133B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 13/124,800
- Filed: 2009-10-22
- Published: 2011-11-10
- Granted: 2015-04-14
- Earliest claimed: 2008-10-24
- Assignees: OneD Material, Inc.; Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha
- Applicants: Yimin Zhu; Jay L. Goldman; Baixin Qian; Ionel C. Stefan; Mutsuko Komoda; Hirotaka Mizuhata; Takenori Onishi
- Inventors: Yimin Zhu; Jay L. Goldman; Baixin Qian; Ionel C. Stefan; Mutsuko Komoda; Hirotaka Mizuhata; Takenori Onishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9006133B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/921: {Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements}
- H01M 4/926: {on carbon or graphite}
- Y02E 60/50: Fuel cells
- H01M: PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The present invention relates to electrochemical catalyst particles, including nanoparticles, which can be used membrane electrode assemblies and in fuel cells. In exemplary embodiments, the present invention provides electrochemical catalysts supported by various materials. Suitably the catalysts have an atomic ratio of oxygen to a metal in the nanoparticle of about 3 to about 6.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires, the electrochemical catalyst comprising a nanoparticle comprising Pt and Ru, or an alloy including Pt and Ru, wherein the atomic ratio of oxygen in the nanoparticle to Ru in the nanoparticle is in the range of more than 3 to not more than 6.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the ratio of oxygen to Ru is in the range of about 3.6 to about 6.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the ratio of oxygen to Ru is in the range of about 3.6 to about 5.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the ratio of oxygen to Ru is in the range of about 3.6 to about 4.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the ratio of oxygen to Ru is about 3.6.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 30%, the percentage of metallic platinum is about 70% to about 87%, and the nanoparticle comprises nitrogen.

### Claim 7 (depends on 6)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 6, wherein the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 20%.

### Claim 8 (depends on 6)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 6, wherein the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 10%.

### Claim 9 (depends on 6)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 6, wherein the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 2%.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein a maximum peak of the Pt:Ru nanoparticle in a range of 2θ=30° to 44° is located in a range of not less than 33.0° to less than 37.0°.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 1, wherein the nanowires are selected from the group consisting of RuO2, SiC, GaN, TiO2, SnO2, WCx, MoCx, ZrC, WNx, and MoNx, nanowires, wherein x is a positive integer.

### Claim 12

An electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires, the electrochemical catalyst comprising a Pt:Ru nanoparticle, wherein the atomic ratio of oxygen to Ru in the nanoparticle is more than 3 to not more than 6, the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 30%, and the percentage of metallic platinum is about 70% to about 90%.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 12, wherein the atomic ratio of oxygen to Ru in the nanoparticle is about 3.6 to about 4, the percentage of metallic ruthenium is less than about 2%, and the percentage of metallic platinum is about 70% to about 87%, and the nanoparticle comprises nitrogen.

### Claim 14 (depends on 12)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 12, wherein the nanowire is selected from the group consisting of RuO2, SiC, GaN, TiO2, SnO2, WCx, MoCx, ZrC, WNx, and MoNx, nanowires, wherein x is a positive integer.

### Claim 15 (depends on 12)

The electrochemical catalyst supported by a network of interconnected nanowires of claim 12, wherein a maximum peak of the Pt:Ru nanoparticle in a range of 2θ=30° to 44° is located in a range of not less than 33.0° to less than 37.0°.