# US 9,437,877 B2 · Tungsten oxide modified ordered mesoporous carbon catalyst for formic acid oxidation in direct formic acid fuel cells

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- Number: US 9,437,877 B2
- Document ID: US9437877B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/492,762
- Filed: 2014-09-22
- Published: 2016-03-24
- Granted: 2016-09-06
- Earliest claimed: 2014-09-22
- Assignees: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Applicants: King Fahd University of Petroleum and Minerals
- Inventors: Ateeq Ur Rehman; Shakeel Ahmed; Mohammad Mozahar Hossain; Sleem Ur Rahman
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9437877B2

## CPC

- H01M 4/926: {on carbon or graphite}
- H01M 4/925: {supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers}
- H01M 8/1009: with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged (H01M8/12 takes precedence)
- H01M 8/22: Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising carbon or oxygen or hydrogen and other elements; Fuel cells in which the fuel is based on materials comprising only elements other than carbon, oxygen or hydrogen
- H01M 2008/1095: {Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes}
- 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

Electrocatalysts for the anode electro-oxidation of formic acid in direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs). The Pd-, Pt- or PdPt-based electrocatalysts contain WO3-modified ordered mesoporous carbon (OMC) as support material. Compositions and ratios of Pd:Pt in the electrocatalysts as well as methods of preparing and characterizing the catalysts and the WO3-OMC support material.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An electrocatalyst for a fuel cell electrode comprising:
nanoparticles of Pd as a first catalytic metal;
nanoparticles of Pt as a second catalytic metal; and
a catalyst support material comprising nanoparticles of an ordered mesoporous carbon and nanoparticles of WO3;
wherein the Pd and Pt nanoparticles are present in a ratio of x:y and x>y.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein x and y are independently 1, 2 or 3.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein the electrocatalyst catalyzes the oxidation of formic acid into CO2.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein a total amount of Pd and Pt present in the electrocatalyst is no greater than 30% by weight relative to the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A direct formic acid fuel cell comprising:
the electrocatalyst of claim 1 as an anode;
a cathode;
a proton exchange membrane electrolyte disposed between the anode and the cathode;
a formic acid solution in contact with the anode; and
a solution comprising at least one oxidizing agent in contact with the cathode.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the ratio of Pd:Pt ranges from greater than 1:1 to 3:1.

### Claim 7 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the amount of Pd is no greater than 15% of the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 8 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the amount of Pt is no greater than 15% of the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 9 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the amount of ordered mesoporous carbon is 75-85% of the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 10 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the amount of WO3 is 7-10% of the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 11 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the ordered mesoporous carbon has a BET specific surface area of at least 800 m2g−1.

### Claim 12 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the ordered mesoporous carbon has a pore size of no greater than 4 nm.

### Claim 13 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the ordered mesoporous carbon has a pore volume of 1.0-1.5 cm3g−1.

### Claim 14 (depends on 5)

The formic acid fuel cell of claim 5, wherein the Pd and Pt nanoparticles are no greater than 5 nm.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, which has a total amount of Pd and Pt from 15-30% by weight relative to the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 16 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein the ratio of Pd:Pt ranges from greater than 1:1 to 3:1.

### Claim 17 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein the ratio of Pd:Pt is 2:1.

### Claim 18 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, which has 75-85% by weight of the nanoparticles of the ordered mesoporous carbon relative to the total weight of the electrocatalyst.

### Claim 19 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, wherein the ordered mesoporous carbon has mesopores with a diameter between 3 and 4 nm.

### Claim 20 (depends on 1)

The electrocatalyst of claim 1, which has a 5-15 wt % of WO3 relative to the total weight of the electrocatalyst.