Perovskite-type oxides La1−xSrxMnO3 for cathode catalysts in direct ethylene glycol alkaline fuel cells

Carbon-supported La1−xSrxMnO3 (LSM/C) was prepared by reversible homogeneous precipitation method, and its catalytic activities for oxygen reduction under the existence of ethylene glycol (EG) were investigated by using rotating disk electrode. LSM/C exhibited the high activity for oxygen reduction irrespective with the presence of EG, indicating that EG is not oxidized by LSM/C at the cathode side in the present system. Consequently, LSM/C can serve as a cathode catalyst in alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells with no crossover problem. Performance test for fuel cells operation also supported these results and showed cathodic polarization curves were not affected by the concentration of EG supplied to anode even at 5 mol dm−3.