Issue 2, 2023

Platinum–tin as a superior catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

This work reports on the synthesis of a platinum (Pt)–tin (Sn) catalyst supported on Vulcan carbon (VC) for the superior electrooxidation of molecular hydrogen at the anode and electroreduction of molecular oxygen at the cathode of a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The synthesis was done by using the polyol process. The resulting electrocatalyst with a Pt/Sn mass ratio of 3 (PtSn/VC(3)) demonstrated superior electrocatalytic activity of 3- and 1.4-fold over Pt/VC (synthesized as a reference catalyst) for the reduction of oxygen and oxidation of hydrogen, respectively. The developed PtSn/VC(3) catalyst also demonstrated a greater mass activity of 373 mA mgPt−1, i.e. a 2.4-fold improvement compared to Pt/VC for oxygen reduction. The superiority of PtSn/VC(3) was further confirmed upon operation in a self-breathing fuel cell. A maximum power density of 96 mW cm−2 was observed, i.e. a 45% improvement in terms of power density as compared to Pt/VC. In addition, this new PtSn/VC(3) catalyst demonstrated remarkable stability under accelerated stress test where a fuel cell performance degradation of 9% was observed after 60 000 fuel cell cycles with a 85% of maximum power density retention.

Graphical abstract: Platinum–tin as a superior catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Paper
Submitted
11 Dec. 2022
Accepted
13 Febr. 2023
First published
15 Febr. 2023
This article is Open Access
Creative Commons BY license

RSC Sustain., 2023,1, 368-377

Platinum–tin as a superior catalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

P. Sapkota, S. Lim and K. Aguey-Zinsou, RSC Sustain., 2023, 1, 368 DOI: 10.1039/D2SU00129B

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