Effectiveness evaluations of Pt-based catalysts for PEMFC: from pure to mixed materials

This research focuses in the field of producing materials for hydrogen energy, specifically for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. We conducted a comparative study of commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts with platinum loadings of 20%, 40%, and 60% (PM20, PM40, and PM60) and a home-made 40% Pt MIX sample created by mechanically mixing PM20 and PM60. Various methods are used to describe the morphologies of electrocatalysts: XRD, TEM, HRTEM, BF-STEM, HAADF-STEM SEI. In a three-electrode electrochemical cell, the MIX40 catalyst demonstrated nearly double the activity of the PM40 catalyst in the oxygen electroreduction reaction. The stability of electrocatalysts in accelerated stress testing was studied. The MIX-electrocatalyst also maintained a higher parameters after stress testing. In MEA tests, the MIX and PM40 catalysts showed nearly identical performance. It is apparent that the combined approach is a facile and convenient way to produce mixed materials, which reduces production costs. In particular, it is possible to obtain catalysts with 30%, 40%, and 50% platinum loading from products containing 20% and 60% platinum. The ability to adjust the composition and loading of platinum in the catalytic layers might allow the catalysts to be adapted to specific operating conditions.