Cobalt based non-precious electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

✍ Scribed by Yuanwei Ma; Huamin Zhang; Hexiang Zhong; Ting Xu; Hong Jin; Yongfu Tang; Zhuang Xu

• Publisher: Elsevier Science
• Year: 2010
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 549 KB
• Volume: 55
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0013-4686
• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2010.03.087

✦ Synopsis

Cobalt based non-precious metal catalysts were synthesized using chelation of cobalt (II) by imidazole followed by heat-treatment process and investigated as a promising alternative of platinum (Pt)-based electrocatalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements were used to characterize the synthesized CoN x /C catalysts. The activities of the catalysts towards oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were investigated by electrochemical measurements and single cell tests, respectively. Optimization of the heat-treatment temperature was also explored. The results indicate that the asprepared catalyst presents a promising electrochemical activity for the ORR with an approximate fourelectron process. The maximum power density obtained in a H 2 /O 2 PEMFC is as high as 200 mW cm -2 with CoN x /C loading of 2.0 mg cm -2 .