Performance of membrane electrode assemblies using PdPt alloy as anode catalysts in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

Pd-based nanoparticles, such as 40 wt.% carbon-supported Pd50Pt50, Pd75Pt25, Pd90Pt10 and Pd95Pt5, for anode electrocatalyst on polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) were synthesized by the borohydride reduction method. PdPt metal particles with a narrow size distribution were dispersed uniformly on a carbon support. The membrane electrode assembly (MEA) with Pd95Pt5/C as the anode catalyst exhibited comparable single-cell performance to that of commercial Pt/C at 0.7 V. Although the Pt loading of the anode with Pd95Pt5/C was as low as 0.02 mg cm−2, the specific power (power to mass of Pt in the MEA) of Pd95Pt5/C was higher than that of Pt/C at 0.7 V. Furthermore, the single-cell performance with Pd50Pt50/C and Pd75Pt25/C as the anode catalyst at 0.4 V was approximately 95% that of the MEA with the Pt/C catalyst. This indicated that a Pd-based catalyst that has an extremely small amount of Pt (only 5 or 50 at.%) can be replaced as an anode electrocatalyst in PEMFC.

► Synthesis of PdPt nanoparticles on carbon support with various compositions.
► Electrocatalytic performance of PdPt/C catalysts for hydrogen oxidation reaction.
► PdPt/C catalysts exhibit higher specific power than Pt/C catalysts in single-cell test.