Thin-film catalyst with enhanced catalyst-support interactions
An efficient, stable catalyst material having a thin film catalyst supported on a support of metal carbide, nitride, oxide, carbonitride, oxycarbonitride core. The thin film catalyst comprises a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of platinum-group metals, platinum-group metal oxides, transition metals, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof. The thin film catalyst is covalently bonded to the support.
1. A catalyst material comprising:
a support comprising M 1 M 2 C y N z O w , nanoparticles where M 1 and M 2 are transition metals, M 1 comprises one of Ti, Ta, or Zr and further where more than one of y, z, and w are greater than 0, the nanoparticles not containing carbon in an elemental form, wherein the support has an effective diameter of 40 nm to 60 nm; and
a thin film covalently bonded to the support, the thin film having a thickness of 0.5 nm to 5.0 nm, the thin film comprising a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of platinum-group metals, platinum-group metal oxides, transition metals, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof.
2. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the thin film encapsulates the support.
3. The catalyst of claim 1 , comprising a plurality of thin films deposited on the support as patches having a diameter of greater than 10 nm.
4. The catalyst material of claim 1 , included in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
5. The catalyst material of claim 1 , including in a unitized reversible or regenerative fuel cell (URFC).
6. The catalyst material of claim 1 , wherein the catalytic metal comprises a Pt—Ir alloy.
7. A fuel cell comprising:
a catalytic material comprising:
a support comprising M 1 M 2 C y N z O w , where M 1 and M 2 are transition metals, M 1 comprises one of Ti, Ta, or Zr and further where one of y, z, and w are greater than 0, the support free of elemental carbon; and
a thin film covalently bonded to the support, the thin film having a thickness of 0.5 to 5.0 nm, the thin film comprising a catalytic metal selected from the group consisting of platinum-group metals, platinum-group metal oxides, transition metals, transition metal oxides, and combinations thereof;
wherein the thin film interacts with the support through Strong Metal Support Interactions.
8. The fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the support has an effective diameter of 10 nm to 500 nm.
9. The fuel cell of claim 7 , wherein the thin film encapsulates the support.
10. The fuel cell of claim 7 , comprising a plurality of thin films deposited on the support as patches.
11. The fuel cell material of claim 7 , included in a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC).
12. The fuel cell material of claim 7 , including in a unitized reversible or regenerative fuel cell (URFC).