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Core–Shell Catalysts in PEMFC Cathode Environments

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Book cover Electrocatalysis in Fuel Cells

Part of the book series: Lecture Notes in Energy ((LNEN,volume 9))

Abstract

A wide variety of core–shell electrocatalysts have been investigated in recent years, showing benefits for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in acid electrolytes. Particularly high values of activity per gram of Pt are often measured for core–shell systems in rotating disc electrode (RDE) measurements; however, fewer systems have been tested for performance and durability in membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) under realistic proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) conditions. This chapter discusses the various approaches, both electrochemical and chemical, used to prepare core–shell materials at both small and gram scales and highlights some of the methods used to assess the uniformity of the Pt shell and activity and durability. Available data from MEA testing is reviewed along with some of the implications on overall cost of the use of precious metals within the core. So far, a limited number of core–shell materials have been tested in MEAs, and these data tend to show a lower activity compared to testing at microgram scale under more idealized conditions, due to the combination of catalyst scale-up issues and differences in testing protocols, test conditions (temperature, pH), and catalyst instability. Thus, an increasing focus on the validation of the core–shell approach under realistic MEA test conditions is necessary, to demonstrate their true benefits as cost-effective cathode catalysts for PEMFCs.

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  1. Johnson Matthey Technology Centre, Blount’s Court, Sonning Common, Reading, Berkshire, RG49NH, UK

    Sarah Ball

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Correspondence to Sarah Ball .

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  1. UTC Power, Governor’s Highway 195, South Windsor, 06074, Connecticut, USA

    Minhua Shao

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Ball, S. (2013). Core–Shell Catalysts in PEMFC Cathode Environments. In: Shao, M. (eds) Electrocatalysis in Fuel Cells. Lecture Notes in Energy, vol 9. Springer, London. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4911-8_19

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4471-4911-8_19

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