Nanostructured platinum catalyst layer prepared by pulsed electrodeposition for use in PEM fuel cells

Nanostructured thin catalyst layer with uniform distribution of platinum particles on a GDL useful for PEM fuel cell was obtained by preferential pulsed electrodeposition (PED) from a dilute solution of chloroplatinic acid. A low platinum loading on the electrode was obtained by PED method, without any loss in fuel cell performance compared with electrodes prepared by conventional brush coating method. The electrodeposition was optimized by varying the duty cycle and current density. The fuel cell performance was found to be 350 mA/cm2 at an operating voltage of 0.6 V at 60 °C with hydrogen and air as reactants at ambient pressure. The nanostructured thin catalyst layer showed a very less ohmic resistance of 0.00076 mΩ/cm2.