Catalyst of a fuel cell, and membrane-electrode assembly and fuel cell system including catalyst
A fuel cell catalyst includes a carbon-containing core, and an active metal shell attached to the carbon core by an ionomer. The catalyst has a high catalyst utility, and facilitates a highly efficient and high power fuel cell. The ionomer is disposed between the active metal and the carbon core. The carbon core and the active metal are present in a mixing ratio ranging from 0.0001:99.9999 wt % to 0.05:99.95 wt %.
1. A catalyst of a fuel cell, comprising:
a carbon-containing core; and
an active metal attached to the carbon core by an ionomer, the ionomer being disposed between the active metal and the carbon core, the core and active metal being present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.0001:99.9999 wt % to 0.05:99.95 wt %.
2. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 μm or more.
3. The catalyst of claim 2 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm.
4. The catalyst of claim 3 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 50 μm.
5. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the core has a porosity ranging from 30 to 50%.
6. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the active metal comprises secondary particles of an average particle diameter ranging from 50 to 200 nm and composed of assembled primary particles having an average particle diameter ranging from 2 to 15 nm.
7. The catalyst of claim 6 , wherein the secondary particles have an average particle diameter ranging from 60 to 100 nm.
8. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the active metal is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, osmium, a platinum-ruthenium alloy, a platinum-osmium alloy, a platinum-palladium alloy, a platinum-M alloy, and combinations thereof, wherein M is a transition element selected from the group consisting of Ga, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Mo, W, Rh, Ru, and combinations thereof; and at least one metal supported on a supporter.
9. The catalyst of claim 8 , wherein the supporter is either a carbon-based material or an inorganic material.
10. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of fluoro-based polymers, benzimidazole-based polymers, polyimide-based polymers, polyetherimide-based polymers, polyphenylenesulfide-based polymers, polysulfone-based polymers, polyethersulfone-based polymers, polyetherketone-based polymers, polyether-etherketone-based polymers, polyphenylquinoxaline-based polymers, and combinations thereof.
11. The catalyst of claim 10 , wherein, the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(perfluorosulfonic acid), poly(perfluorocarboxylic acid), a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and fluorovinylether having a sulfonic acid group, defluorinated polyetherketone sulfide, aryl ketone, poly(2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole), poly(2,5-benzimidazole), and combinations thereof.
12. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the core and active metal are present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.01:99.99 wt % to 0.25:99.75 wt %.
13. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the ionomer is present in an amount of 10 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the core and active metal together.
14. The catalyst of claim 1 , wherein the fuel cell of the catalyst comprises a direct oxidation fuel cell.
15. A membrane-electrode assembly of a fuel cell, the assembly comprising:
a cathode and an anode facing each other; and
a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the cathode and the anode;
wherein at least one of the anode and cathode includes:
an electrode substrate and a catalyst layer arranged on the electrode substrate, the catalyst layer including a carbon-containing core; and
an active metal attached to the carbon core by an ionomer, the ionomer being disposed between the active metal and the carbon core, the core and active metal being present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.0001:99.9999 wt % to 0.05:99.95 wt %.
16. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 μm or more.
17. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 16 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm.
18. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 17 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 50 μm.
19. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the core has a porosity ranging from 30 to 50%.
20. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the active metal comprises secondary particles of an average particle diameter ranging from 50 to 200 nm and composed of assembled primary particles having an average particle diameter ranging from 2 to 15 nm.
21. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 20 , wherein the secondary particles have an average particle diameter ranging from 60 to 100 nm.
22. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the active metal is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, osmium, a platinum-ruthenium alloy, a platinum-osmium alloy, a platinum-palladium alloy, a platinum-M alloy, and combinations thereof, wherein M is a transition element selected from the group consisting of Ga, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Mo, W, Rh, Ru, and combinations thereof; and at least one metal supported on a supporter.
23. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 22 , wherein the supporter is either a carbon-based material or an inorganic material.
24. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of fluoro-based polymers, benzimidazole-based polymers, polyimide-based polymers, polyetherimide-based polymers, polyphenylenesulfide-based polymers, polysulfone-based polymers, polyethersulfone-based polymers, polyetherketone-based polymers, polyether-etherketone-based polymers, polyphenylquinoxaline-based polymers, and combinations thereof.
25. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 24 , wherein the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(perfluorosulfonic acid), poly(perfluorocarboxylic acid), a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and fluorovinylether having a sulfonic acid group, defluorinated polyetherketone sulfide, aryl ketone, poly(2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole), poly(2,5-benzimidazole), and combinations thereof.
26. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the core and active metal are present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.01: 99.99 wt % to 25:99.75 wt %.
27. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the ionomer is present in an amount of 10 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the core and active metal together.
28. The membrane-electrode assembly of claim 15 , wherein the fuel cell of the catalyst comprises a direct oxidation fuel cell.
29. A fuel cell system comprising:
at least one electricity generating element including:
a membrane-electrode assembly including a cathode, an anode, and a polymer electrolyte membrane interposed between the cathode and the anode, and
separators arranged at each side of the membrane-electrode assembly;
a fuel supplier; and
an oxidant supplier:
wherein at least one of the anode and cathode includes an electrode substrate and a catalyst layer arranged on the electrode substrate, and the catalyst layer includes a carbon-containing core, and
an active metal attached to the carbon core by an ionomer, with the ionomer being disposed between the active metal and the carbon core, the core and active metal being present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.0001:99.9999 wt % to 0.05:99.95 wt %.
30. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 μm or more.
31. The fuel cell system of claim 30 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 100 μm.
32. The fuel cell system of claim 31 , wherein the core has an average particle diameter of 1 to 50 μm.
33. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the core has a porosity ranging from 30 to 50%.
34. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the active metal comprises secondary particles of an average particle diameter ranging from 50 to 200 nm and composed of assembled primary particles having an average particle diameter ranging from 2 to 15 nm.
35. The fuel cell system of claim 34 , wherein the secondary particles have an average particle diameter ranging from 60 to 100 nm.
36. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the active metal is at least one metal selected from the group consisting of platinum, ruthenium, osmium, a platinum-ruthenium alloy, a platinum-osmium alloy, a platinum-palladium alloy, a platinum-M alloy, and combinations thereof, wherein M is a transition element selected from the group consisting of Ga, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Sn, Mo, W, Rh, Ru, and combinations thereof; and at least one metal supported on a supporter.
37. The fuel cell system of claim 36 , wherein the supporter is either a carbon-based material or an inorganic material.
38. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of fluoro-based polymers, benzimidazole-based polymers, polyimide-based polymers, polyetherimide-based polymers, polyphenylenesulfide-based polymers, polysulfone-based polymers, polyethersulfone-based polymers, polyetherketone-based polymers, polyether-etherketone-based polymers, polyphenylquinoxaline-based polymers, and combinations thereof.
39. The fuel cell system of claim 38 , wherein the ionomer is at least one selected from the group consisting of poly(perfluorosulfonic acid), poly(perfluorocarboxylic acid), a copolymer of tetrafluoroethylene and fluorovinylether having a sulfonic acid group, defluorinated polyetherketone sulfide, aryl ketone, poly(2,2′-(m-phenylene)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole), poly(2,5-benzimidazole), and combinations thereof.
40. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the core and active metal are present at a mixing ratio ranging from 0.01:99.99 wt % to 0.25:99.75 wt %.
41. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the ionomer is present in an amount of 10 to 20 parts by weight based on 100 parts by weight of the core and active metal together.
42. The fuel cell system of claim 29 , wherein the fuel cell of the catalyst comprises a direct oxidation fuel cell.