Method of enhancing electrodes
One embodiment includes a method of forming a hydrophilic particle containing electrode including providing a catalyst; providing hydrophilic particles suspended in a liquid to form a liquid suspension; contacting said catalyst with said liquid suspension; and, drying said liquid suspension contacting said catalyst to leave said hydrophilic particles attached to said catalyst.
1. A product comprising:
an electrode comprising:
catalyst; and
a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst.
2. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a noble metal.
3. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises Pt.
4. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise hydroxyls bonded to a surface of each of said hydrophilic particles.
5. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise an oxide.
6. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise silicon dioxide.
7. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said hydrophilic particles have a primary particle size of from about 1 nm to about 50 nm.
8. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said catalyst comprises a thin film catalyst comprising an exterior shell of particles having a dimension larger than said hydrophilic particles.
9. A product as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said thin film catalyst comprises a plurality of whisker shaped particles wherein at least a shell of said whisker shaped particles comprises said thin film catalyst.
10. A product as set forth in claim 9 , wherein said whisker shaped particles comprise a diameter of about 10 to about 250 nm and a length of about 100 nm to about 1 micron.
11. A product as set forth in claim 8 , wherein said thin film catalyst is attached to a proton exchange membrane.
12. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electrode comprises a fuel cell proton exchange membrane electrode.
13. A product as set forth in claim 12 , wherein said electrode comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrode comprising a vehicle fuel cell.
14. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein said electrode comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrode comprising a vehicle fuel cell wherein the thickness of the PEM electrode is less than 1 micron.
15. A product as set forth in claim 14 , wherein the proton exchange membrane (PEM) has a membrane electrode area (MEA), and wherein the hydrophilic particles comprise silicon dioxide and wherein the hydrophilic particle loading on the catalyst is from about 1 micrograms/cm 2 MEA to about 30 micrograms/cm 2 mEA .
16. A product as set forth in claim 15 , wherein the proton exchange membrane (PEM) has a membrane electrode area (MEA), and wherein the hydrophilic particles have a surface roughness between about 20 cm 2 /cm 2 MEA and about 75 cm 2 /cm 2 MEA .
17. A product as set forth in claim 1 , wherein the hydrophilic particles have surface areas of about 20 M 2 /g to about 250 M 2 /g.
18. A product comprising:
an electrode comprising:
catalyst; and
a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst; wherein the hydrophilic particles have a size variation of less than 20 percent.
19. A product as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hydrophilic particles have a size variation of less than 10 percent.
20. A product comprising:
an electrode comprising:
catalyst; and
a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst; wherein the hydrophilic particles are provided as a cladding.