Electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells
View Patent ↗The present invention includes an apparatus, system and method for screening and making one or more electrocatalysts, electrocatalyst arrays, electrodes and catalysts for an oxygen reduction reaction with a Group VIII noble metal in contact with a component-M o form a Group VIII noble metal-M alloy, wherein component-M is one or more metals selected from Groups IIIA, IVA, VIII, IB, IIB, VB, VIB, VIIB and VIIIB of the Periodic Table.
1. An electrocatalyst for an oxygen reduction reaction comprising: Pd, Co and Mo in a Pd:Co:Mo ratio of between about 60 and 80: between about 10 and 30: between about 5-15.
2. The electrocatalyst of claim 1 wherein the Pd:Co:Mo ratio comprising about 70:20:10.
3. A membrane-electrode assembly for use in a proton exchange membrane fuel cell comprising:
a diffusion layer; and
an electrode comprising an anode and a cathode, wherein the cathode comprises one or more catalyst layers comprising Pd in intimate contact with Co and Mo to form an alloy in a Pd:Co:Mo ratio of between about 60 and 80: between about 10 and 30: between about 5-15 deposited onto at least a portion of the diffusion layer.
4. The cathode of claim 3 , wherein the Pd:Co:Mo ratio comprising about 70:20:10.
5. A method of producing an electrocatalytic electrode comprising the steps of:
coating a glassy carbon electrode substrate with a first solution comprising Pd;
coating the glassy carbon electrode substrate with a second solution comprising Co and Mo, to form an electrocatalytic electrode with Pd, Co and Mo are in molar ratio of between about 60 and 80: between about 10 and 30: between about 5-15, and wherein Pd, Co and Mo are, when not an oxide, capable of thermal decomposition to the corresponding oxide;
decomposing thermally the first solution and the second solution, other than the oxides, to the corresponding oxides or mixed oxides; and
curing the first solutions and second solutions at an elevated temperature.
6. The method of claim 5 wherein the Pd:Co:Mo ratio comprising about 70:20:10.