Temperature dependent performance and catalyst layer properties of PtRu supported on modified few-walled carbon nanotubes for the alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell
No Thumbnail Available
Access rights
openAccess
acceptedVersion
URL
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
A1 Alkuperäisartikkeli tieteellisessä aikakauslehdessä
This publication is imported from Aalto University research portal.
View publication in the Research portal (opens in new window)
View/Open full text file from the Research portal (opens in new window)
Other link related to publication (opens in new window)
View publication in the Research portal (opens in new window)
View/Open full text file from the Research portal (opens in new window)
Other link related to publication (opens in new window)
Date
2017
Major/Subject
Mcode
Degree programme
Language
en
Pages
Series
Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Volume 793, pp. 48-57
Abstract
The performance of PtRu on three differently modified few-walled carbon nanotube (FWCNT) supports for ethanol electro-oxidation is evaluated in alkaline media both with rotating disc electrode (RDE) and direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) measurements at various temperatures (0-60. °C). FWCNT are modified with oxidative treatment (O-FWCNT), aniline coating (A-FWCNT) and N-doped carbon layer (N-FWCNT). RDE testing shows that A-FWCNT/PtRu outperforms both O-FWCNT/PtRu and N-FWCNT/PtRu especially at high temperatures giving 1.5 times higher current at 60. °C. The poisoning resistance of N-FWCNT/PtRu is high over the temperature range, while O-FWCNT/PtRu and A-FWCNT/PtRu become increasingly poisoned with increasing temperature. Alkaline DEFC testing at 30. °C and 50. °C indicates similar dependence to temperature as in RDE tests. However, only N-FWCNT/PtRu can sustain currents for longer than 20-30. h during constant voltage measurement. SEM images of the catalyst layers reveal that both O-FWCNT/PtRu and A-FWCNT/PtRu form a dense structure with little pores for reactant and product transport explaining the quick performance loss, while large pores are formed with N-FWCNT/PtRu facilitating the transport. These results underline that the interactions between the catalyst support and the ionomer in the fuel cell catalyst layer are important in forming a suitable pore structure for efficient mass transfer.Description
Keywords
Alkaline electrolyte, Catalyst layer, Direct ethanol fuel cell, Ethanol, Few-walled carbon nanotube, Nitrogen
Other note
Citation
Kanninen, P, Borghei, M, Hakanpää, J, Kauppinen, E I, Ruiz, V & Kallio, T 2017, ' Temperature dependent performance and catalyst layer properties of PtRu supported on modified few-walled carbon nanotubes for the alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell ', Journal of Electroanalytical Chemistry, vol. 793, pp. 48-57 . https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jelechem.2016.10.019