High performance carbon supported Pt–WO3 nanocomposite electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell

In the recent years, extensive research work is being carried out and reported on improving the performance of catalysts for both anode and cathode of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The single cell performance of carbon supported Pt–WO3 electrocatalysts with various compositions (as weight percentage Pt–W 2:8, 4:6, 6:4, 2:8) as anode material was investigated in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell and compared to that of 10% Pt/C on the same carbon support and 10% Pt/C (commercial) electrocatalyst. The physical and morphological characterization of the optimized Pt–WO3, 10% Pt/C, 10% Pt/C (commercial) electrocatalysts were further investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with EDX, transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The performance of Pt–WO3/C (with a weight percentage of Pt–W 6:4) as anode material was better than those of other compositions of Pt–WO3/C catalyst, 10% Pt/C and 10% Pt/C (commercial). The amount of Pt was also reduced from 1.76 mg cm−2 to 1.046 mg cm−2 which exhibited higher performance in single cell tests.

► The catalysts preparation is novel one and nowhere published so far.
► Precious metal loading is low when compared with 10% Pt/C.
► Improvement in electrochemical performance and single cell evaluation.
► Particle size in nanometer level.
► Particle size arrived from XRD matching with TEM analysis.