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High specific surface area niobium-doped tin oxide nanoparticles produced in spray flames as catalyst supports in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

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Abstract

Platinum-loaded carbon is commonly used in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs); however, it is known to corrode or degrade under high potentials, which results in poor cell performance. Niobium-doped tin oxide (Nb-SnO2; NTO) nanoparticles are alternative materials to carbon because of their high durability and good cell performance as catalyst support in fuel cells. Here, we introduce the preparation of NTO nanoparticles with high specific surface area by spray flames. The particle characteristics and PEFC performances of the nanoparticles were evaluated. Spray combustion with a two-fluid nozzle was used where the raw material species were rapidly gasified to form fine nanoparticles. The spray flame synthesis was operated at a combustion enthalpy density of 4.87 kJ/ggas. This enabled homogeneous nanoparticle formation and suppressed particle growth under a minimal condition. The flame-made NTO nanoparticles showed a primary particle size and specific surface area of ~ 8.77 nm and 87.04 m2/g, respectively. Rietveld analysis revealed a detailed crystal structure of the NTO nanoparticles. In addition, Pt was loaded on the NTO nanoparticles and the cell performance of the resulting material was assessed using a membrane electrode assembly. The results of this study can be used to improve the features of flame-made NTO nanoparticles in order to suit the needs of a fuel cell application.

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Acknowledgements

This work was partly supported by the Center for Functional Nano Oxides at Hiroshima University, the International Network on Polyoxometalate Science, the JSPS Core-to-Core Program. The authors thank the Natural Science Center for Basic Research and Development (N-BARD) for help with SEM image measurements.

Funding

This work was supported by JSPS KAKENHI Grant Numbers JP22K20482 (T.H) and JP19H02500 (T.O.). This work was partly supported by the Information Center of Particle Technology, Japan, the Hosokawa Powder Technology Foundation, and the Kato Foundation for the Promotion of Science (KS-3229).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Chemical Engineering Program, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University, 1-4-1 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, Hiroshima, 739-8527, Japan

    Tomoyuki Hirano, Takama Tsuboi, Kiet Le Anh Cao & Takashi Ogi

  2. Hiroshima Prefectural Institute of Industrial Science and Technology, 3-13-26 Kagamiyama, Higashi Hiroshima, 739-0046, Hiroshima, Japan

    Eishi Tanabe

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  1. Tomoyuki Hirano
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  2. Takama Tsuboi
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Correspondence to Tomoyuki Hirano or Takashi Ogi.

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This article is part of the topical collection: “Self-assembled Functional Nanomaterials and Devices in Asia”

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Hirano, T., Tsuboi, T., Cao, K.L.A. et al. High specific surface area niobium-doped tin oxide nanoparticles produced in spray flames as catalyst supports in polymer electrolyte fuel cells. J Nanopart Res 25, 1 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-022-05649-3

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