The electrochemical durability of Pt/CNT with hollow- and bamboo-structured carbon nanotubes as the support for PEM fuel cells was investigated using cyclic voltammetry (CV, 0.6-1.1V) accelerated degradation test method. Pt/CNT catalysts were characterized with cyclic voltammograms, rotating disk electrodes, and TEM images. The changes in the electrochemical surface area of Pt and the activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) before and after the degradation indicate that bamboo-structured carbon nanotubes supported Pt (Pt/B-CNT) catalyst exhibited much higher durability. TEM images indicate that the sintering of Pt nanoparticles was much less for Pt/B-CNT. These are attributed to the specific bamboo-like nanostructures which provide more “bamboo-knot” defects and edge plane-like defects. Pt-support interaction was therefore enhanced and the durability was improved.
Revised: October 8, 2010 |
Published: July 1, 2009
Citation
Shao Y., R. Kou, J. Wang, C.M. Wang, V.V. Vishwanathan, J. Liu, and Y. Wang, et al. 2009.The durability dependence of Pt/CNT electrocatalysts on the nanostructures of carbon nanotubes: hollow- and bamboo-CNTs.Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 9, no. 10:5811-5815.PNNL-SA-61618.