Electrochemical Evaluation of Porous Non-Platinum Oxygen Reduction Catalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

• Published in: Fuel cells (Weinheim an der Bergstrasse, Germany) Germany), 2009-10, Vol.9 (5), p.547-553
• Main Authors: Olson, T. S., Blizanac, B., Piela, B., Davey, J. R., Zelenay, P., Atanassov, P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Catalyst; DMFC; Fuel Cell; Non-Platinum; Oxygen Reduction; PEMFC; Pyrolysed
• ISSN: 1615-6846; 1615-6854
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.200800089

A porous non‐platinum electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), obtained by pyrolysing a cobalt porphyrin precursor, was evaluated by electrochemical means. The reactivity of the non‐platinum ORR catalyst was investigated with a rotating disc electrode (RDE) experimental set up. RDE data were collected in an acidic electrolyte containing N2, O2, CO and under mixed reactant O2/methanol conditions. The electrochemical performance of such‐obtained non‐platinum catalyst is discussed and compared to platinum‐based ORR catalysts. Based on the results collected here, we are able to propose and test possible proton exchange fuel cell (PEFC) operating conditions where non‐platinum ORR catalysts can be utilised. Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) data demonstrating a superior performance of the non‐platinum catalyst relative to platinum black, often perceived as the state‐of‐the‐art oxygen–reduction catalyst for the DMFC cathode is presented.