Carbon matrix effects on the micro-structure and performance of Pt nanowire cathode prepared by decal transfer method

High performance cathode for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell was prepared by depositing Pt nanowires in a carbon matrix coated on a substrate, and using decal transfer method to fabricate the membrane electrode assembly. The effects of carbon and ionomer contents on the electrode micro-structure and fuel cell performance are investigated by physical characterization and single cell testing. The Pt nanowires are gradient distributed across the cathode thickness, and more Pt exists near the membrane. Both the carbon and ionomer contents can affect the Pt nanowires distribution and aggregation. In addition, the carbon loading dominates the transport distance of gas and proton, and the ionomer content affects the triple phase boundaries and porosity in the cathode. The optimal structure of Pt nanowire cathode is obtained at 0.10 mg·cm^-2 carbon loading and 10 wt% ionomer.

Sub-2.0-nm Ru and composition-tunable RuPt nanowire networks

Recently, the synthesis of ultrathin nanostructures has attracted increasing interest because of their unique structure and properties. In this work, we report the synthesis of sub-2.0-nm Ru and composition-tunable RuPt nanowire networks using an environmentally friendly aqueous method. The structures were characterized using transmission electron microscopy （TEM）, high-resolution TEM, X-ray diffraction （XRD）, and energy-dispersive X-ray （EDX） spectroscopy. Moreover, the combined utilization of sodium n-dodecyl sulfate and potassium fluoride was determined to play a key role in the formation of these ultrathin nanostructures. The electrocatalytic properties of the sub-2.0-nm RuPt nanowire networks were investigated for methanol oxidation in an acidic medium. The nanostructures displayed composition-dependent properties, and compared with commercial Ru50Pt50/C, the as-synthesized Ru56Pt44 ultrathin nanowire network exhibited enhanced stability.

The exclusive surface and electronic effects of Ni on promoting the activity of Pt towards alkaline hydrogen oxidation

Ni modification is considered as an efficient strategy for boosting the performance of Pt towards alkaline hydrogen oxidation reaction(HOR),yet its specific role is largely undecoded.Here,ultrathin Pt nanowires(NWs)are selected as models for revealing the significance of Ni modification on HOR by precisely positioning Ni on distinct positions of Pt NWs.Ni solely influences the electronic properties of Pt and thus weakens*H adsorption when it is located in the core of PtNi alloyed NWs,leading to a moderate improvement of alkaline HOR activity.When Ni is distributed in both core and surface of PtNi alloyed NWs,Ni strongly weakens*H adsorption but strengthens*OH adsorption.On the other hand,the electronic properties of Pt are hardly influenced when Ni is deposited on the surface of Pt NWs,on which the strong*H and*OH adsorptions lead to the improved HOR activity.This work reveals the significance of Ni modification on HOR,but also promotes the fundamental researches on catalyst design for fuel cell reactions and beyond.

Study on the growth of platinum nanowires as cathode catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells

The platinum nanowires have been verified to be a promising catalyst to promote the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells.In this paper,accurately controlled growth of nanowires in a carbon matrix is achieved for reducing Pt loading.The effects of formic acid concentration and reaction temperature on the morphology and size of the Pt nanowires,as well as their electrochemical performances in a single cell,are investigated.The results showed that the increase in the formic acid concentration results in a volcano trend with the length of Pt nanowires.With increasing reduction temperature,the diameter of Pt nanowires increases while Pt particles evolve from one-dimensional to zero-dimensional up to 40°C.A mechanism of the Pt nanowires growth is proposed.The optimized Pt nanowires electrode exhibits a power density(based on electrochemical active surface area)79%higher than conventional Pt/C one.The control strategy obtained contributes to the design and control of novel nanostructures in nano-synthesis and catalyst applications.