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Carbon Nanotube Free-Standing Film of Pt/MWNTs as a Bifunctional Component in Hydrogen Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 February 2011

Jason M. Tang ,
Kurt Jensen ,
Paul Larsen ,
Wenzhen Li ,
Mikhail E. Itkis ,
Yushan Yan  and
Robert C. Haddon
Jason M. Tang
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemistry, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Kurt Jensen
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Paul Larsen
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Wenzhen Li
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Mikhail E. Itkis
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Center for Nanoscale Science and Engineering, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Yushan Yan
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemical & Environmental Engineering, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States
Robert C. Haddon
Affiliation:
[email protected], University of California, Riverside, Department of Chemistry, Pierce Hall Annex 203, University of California, Riverside, Riverside, CA, 92521, United States, 951-827-2044, 951-827-4713
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Abstract

Conventional fuel cell architecture on one side of the membrane electrode assembly consists of a carbon backing layer, hydrophobic microporous layer (MPL), and a catalyst layer, which is in contact with the solid proton exchange membrane. Pt nanoparticles are deposited onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Pt/MWNTs) and a free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs is fabricated to act as the MPL and the catalyst layer in hydrogen fuel cells. The free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs condenses two functions into one bifunctional layer that simplifies the fuel cell fabrication procedure. Fuel cell polarization performance improves when using the free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs without the MPL resulting in a higher peak performance of 1.2 W/cm2 in comparison with 1.0 W/cm2 when in the presence of a MPL.

Keywords

nanostructurenanoscalePt
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1018: Symposium EE – Applications of Nanotubes and Nanowires , 2007 , 1018-EE03-01
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2007

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