Decorated core-shell bimetallic nanoparticle electro-catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

• Main Author: Wang, Xin.
• Other Authors: School of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering
• Format: Research Report
• Language: English
• Published: 2011
• Subjects: DRNTU::Engineering::Chemical engineering::Biotechnological production
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/10356/42733
• Institution: Nanyang Technological University

One of the most significant barriers for the commercialization of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) is the cost issue. It mainly comes from the high usage of precious metal Platinum (Pt) and its alloy as the electrocatalysts due to the low Pt utilization efficiency in the catalyst layers. The core-shell structure for the electrocatalyst may solve this cost problem. By synthesizing a catalyst with one to several Pt adlayers as the shell, the amount of Pt usage would decrease and the utilization efficiency of Pt would increase, since only the atoms on the surface of the catalyst are potentially active towards the electrochemical reactions.