Fuel cell electrocatalsis : oxygen reduction on Pt-based nanoparticle catalysts

Vliet, D.F. van der (2010)

Doctoral Thesis

The thesis contains a discussion on the subject of the Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR) on Pt-alloy nanoparticle catalysts in the Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE) method. An insight in some of the difficulties of this method is given with proper solutions and compensations for these problems. Pt3Co, Au-core Pt3Fe-shell catalysts dispersed on carbon support, as well as the 3M Nanostructured Thin Film (NSTF) catalyst are analyzed and the ORR activities measured. For the Pt3Co catalyst, the particle size effect and the effect of catalyst pretreatment is determined. The significant durability enhancement of the gold-core Pt3Fe-shell catalyst is discussed. A novel pretreatment method for the NSTF catalyst is shown, as well as the significant increase in mass activity for the ORR compared to carbon-supported catalysts. The thesis ends with an insight in the cyclic voltammetry of a Pt (100) single crystal electrodein alkaline media and the effect of the pretreatment of the catalyst.

• Fuel Cell
• Oxygen Reduction Reaction (ORR)
• Electrocatalysis
• Rotating Disk Electrode (RDE)
• Ohmic Drop
• Catalyst pretreatment

• All authors: Vliet, D.F. van der
• Supervisor: Koper, M.T.M.
• Co-supervisor: Markovič, N.M.
• Qualification: Doctor (dr.)
• Awarding Institution: Faculty of Science, Leiden University
• Date: 2010-09-21
• Publisher: Faculty of Science, Leiden University
• ISBN (print): 9789078675969
• Sponsorship: US Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences (DE-AC02-06CH11357), European Commission (FP7 Initial Training Network "ELCAT", Grant Agreement No. 214936-2)