Nitrogen and carbon doped titanium oxide as an alternative and durable electrocatalyst support in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

• Nitrogen and carbon doped TiO2 is synthesized.
• Platinum is deposited on TiON support by a colloidal method.
• Pt/TiON-1 electrocatalysts show higher ORR activity.
• Pt on TiON-1 moiety show enhanced fuel cell performance.
• Stability of Pt/TiON-1electrocatalyst is higher than Pt/C.

Nitrogen and carbon doped titanium oxide as an alternative and ultra-stable support to platinum catalysts is prepared and its efficiency is determined by polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Nitrogen and carbon doped titanium oxide is prepared by varying the melamine ratio followed by calcination at 900 °C. Platinum nanoparticles are deposited onto doped and undoped titanium oxide by colloidal method. The doping effect, surface morphology, chemical oxidation state and metal/metal oxide interfacial contact are studied by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray photo electron spectroscopy. The nitrogen and carbon doping changes both electronic and structural properties of titanium oxide resulting in enhanced oxygen reduction reaction activity. The platinum deposited on optimum level of nitrogen and carbon doped titanium oxide exhibits improved cell performance in relation to platinum on titanium oxide electrocatalysts. The effect of metal loading on cathode electrocatalyst is investigated by steady-state cell polarization. Accelerated durability test over 50,000 cycles for these electrocatalysts suggested the improved interaction between platinum and nitrogen and carbon doped titanium oxide, retaining the electrochemical surface area and oxygen reduction performance as comparable to platinum on carbon support.