Issue 8, 2009
From the journal:

Energy & Environmental Science

Ptnanoparticle stability in PEMfuelcells: influence of particle size distribution and crossover hydrogen†

Edward F. Holby,a   Wenchao Sheng,b   Yang Shao-Horn*c  and  Dane Morgan*d  

* Corresponding authors

a University of Wisconsin, Materials Science Program, 1509 University Ave., Madison, WI
E-mail: holby@wisc.edu

b Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Chemistry, Electrochemical Energy Laboratory, 77 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA
E-mail: wsheng@mit.edu

c Departments of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science and Engineering, Electrochemical Energy Laboratory, 77 Mass Ave., Cambridge, MA
E-mail: shaohorn@mit.edu

d University of Wisconsin, Materials Science and Engineering, 1509 University Ave., Madison, WI
E-mail: ddmorgan@wisc.edu
Tel: +1 608 265 5879

Abstract

This work demonstrates the essential role of particle size and crossover hydrogen on the degradation of platinum polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) cathodes. One of the major barriers to implementation of practical PEMFCs is the degradation of the cathode catalyst under operating conditions. This work combines both experimental and theoretical techniques to develop a validated and thermodynamically consistent kinetic model for the coupling of degradation and the catalyst particle size distribution. Our model demonstrates that, due to rapid changes in the Gibbs–Thomson energy, particle size effects dominate degradation for ∼2 nm particles but play almost no role for ∼5 nm particles. This result can help guide synthesis of more stable distributions. We also identify the effect of hydrogen molecules that cross over from the anode, demonstrating that in the presence of this crossover hydrogen surface area loss is greatly enhanced. We demonstrate that crossover hydrogen changes the surface area loss mechanism from coarsening to platinum loss through dissolution and precipitation off of the carbon support.

Graphical abstract: Pt nanoparticle stability in PEM fuel cells: influence of particle size distribution and crossover hydrogen

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Article information

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1039/B821622N
Article type
Paper
Submitted
02 Dec 2008
Accepted
24 Mar 2009
First published
20 Apr 2009

Energy Environ. Sci., 2009,2, 865-871

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Pt nanoparticle stability in PEM fuel cells: influence of particle size distribution and crossover hydrogen

E. F. Holby, W. Sheng, Y. Shao-Horn and D. Morgan, Energy Environ. Sci., 2009, 2, 865 DOI: 10.1039/B821622N

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