Polybenzimidazole-modified carbon nanotubes as a support material for platinum-based high-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell electrocatalysts


Eren E. O., ÖZKAN N., DEVRİM Y.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY, vol.46, no.57, pp.29556-29567, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 46 Issue: 57
  • Publication Date: 2021
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.ijhydene.2020.07.101
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF HYDROGEN ENERGY
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Academic Search Premier, PASCAL, Artic & Antarctic Regions, Chemical Abstracts Core, Communication Abstracts, Environment Index, INSPEC
  • Page Numbers: pp.29556-29567
  • Keywords: Polybenzimidazole (PBI), Platinum, MWCNT, High-temperature, PEM Fuel cell, Catalysis, ACID-DOPED POLYBENZIMIDAZOLE, PBI MEMBRANES, PT/C, NANOPARTICLES, CONDUCTIVITY, CHALLENGES, EFFICIENT, CATALYST, PEMFCS
  • Middle East Technical University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

We fabricate polybenzimidazole (PBI) wrapped carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) as support material for platinum-based fuel cell electrocatalyst. With the aid of microwave-assisted polyol reduction, we obtain very fine platinum (Pt) nanoparticles on PBI/MWCNT support while reducing the amount of Pt waste during synthesis. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) concludes that Pt-PBI/MWCNT has 43.0 m(2) g(-1) of electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) to catalyze hydrogen oxidation. Furthermore, after the 1000th cycle, Pt-PBI/MWCNT preserves almost 80% of its maximum ECSA, meaning that Pt-PBI/MWCNT is much more durable than the Pt/MWCNT and commercial Pt/C. High-temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC) performance tests are conducted under H-2/Air conditions at the temperatures ranging from 150 degrees C to 180 degrees C. Nevertheless, tests conclude that the maximum power density values of the Pt-PBI/MWCNT are found inferior to the Pt/C at all temperatures (e.g., 47 vs. 62 mW cm(-2) at 180 degrees C), suggesting that some balance between durability and performance has to be taken into consideration. (C) 2020 Hydrogen Energy Publications LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.