Anti-corrosion carbon support for mass transfer enhancement in low-platinum loaded fuel cells

Abstract

The widespread commercial adoption of fuel cells requires continued improvements in cost-effectiveness, performance, and durability. A tree-like nitrogen-doped carbon (T-NC) support structure was developed for low-platinum (Pt) loaded fuel cells. Carbon nanotubes serve as the conductive backbone, while ZIF-8-derived carbon, synthesized from 2-methylimidazole zinc salt, forms the branches that provide attachment sites for platinum group metals (PGMs). In cathodes with a Pt loading of 0.1 mgPt/cm2, this novel Pt/T-NC electrode exhibited a remarkable 30% reduction in concentration loss at 2.0 A/cm2 and a 12.7% increase in peak power density, compared to conventional Pt/C electrodes. Additionally, the corrosion resistance of the electrode was improved. Following 5000 cycles of accelerated durability testing (ADT) for carbon corrosion, the fuel cell retained 50.8% of its original performance, while conventional electrodes retained only 38%. The T-NC structure is broadly applicable for supporting various advanced PGM catalysts. This advancement offers a promising approach to bridge the gap between theoretical catalytic activity and practical output, leading to substantial improvements in both performance and durability of fuel cells.