Nitrogen-doped carbon cloth as a stable self-supported cathode catalyst for air/H2-breathing alkaline fuel cells

The power output of a fuel cell is limited by among others, the intrinsic activity of the active matrix and the mass transport of the products and reactants. Of equally crucial importance is the long-term durability of the cell components including the electrocatalysts. Herein, carbon cloth (CC) was functionalized with nitrogen-containing groups by treatment with NH3 at 400 °C or by pyrolysis of a composite of polypyrrole on CC at 800 °C. The resulting N-doped CC (NCC) was employed as an air-breathing cathode in a custom-made air/H2 alkaline fuel cell, serving as the current collector as well as catalytic matrix with enhanced oxygen transport. The cell exhibited high operational durability with only 2% loss in activity after 25 days and delivered a maximum power density of 120 mW m−2 at a voltage of 0.35 V. The concept of a self-supported highly stable metal-free catalyst and the breathing H2/air cell design provide platforms for the design and investigation of catalysts. Moreover, a higher cell voltage can be realized if the cell is operated under pressurized conditions or by replacing air with O2.