Enhanced Pt/C catalyst stability using p-benzensulfonic acid functionalized carbon blacks as catalyst supports

The functional group p-benzensulfonic acid (pb-SO3H) was chemically attached to the surfaces of two different carbon supports, XC72 and BP2000, to improve carbon support corrosion resistance. An accelerated durability test (ADT) utilizing a rotating disk electrode (RDE) system was used to study the corrosion of Pt catalysts using these two carbon supports, Pt/FXC72-SO3H and Pt/FBP2000-SO3H, under simulated fuel cell conditions. The results showed that the functional group pb-SO3H can effectively reduce the performance decay of these catalysts by enhancing the corrosion resistance of the carbon support and promoting the stability of the Pt nanoparticles. The ECASA and ORR current measurements of these catalysts indicate that the effects of the functional group (pb-SO3H) on improving carbon corrosion resistance were more significant for the BP2000 than for the XC72. TME imaging revealed that the size of the Pt nanoparticles was significantly reduced and the particle distribution was improved in a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC).