Abstract
PtNi/C electrocatalysts were synthesised by borohydride method on functionalised carbon support. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy and both cyclic and linear voltammetry were employed to characterise the composition, crystalline structure, morphology and catalytic properties of the PtNi/C electrocatalysts. Different Ni proportions in the PtNi/C electrocatalysts were evaluated in the cathode or anode in a H2/air proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) by polarisation curves. PtNi particles uniformly dispersed with different proportions of metals obtained. The increase of Ni proportion in the electrocatalyst led to materials with higher mass activity values toward the oxygen reduction reaction and a greater electrochemical-active surface area. PtNi/C electrocatalysts in the cathode presented higher mass activity values at high potential in the PEMFC. The best PEMFC performance was obtained with PtNi 13 at.% Ni (cathode) and Pt/C (anode) relative to the Pt/C (cathode and anode) with identical Pt loadings. PtNi/C electrocatalysts in PEMFC may be used as an alternative to Pt/C electrocatalyst.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Shen J, Hu Y, Li C, Qin C, Ye M (2008) Pt–Co supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes as an anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells. Electrochim Acta 53:7276–7280
Mayrhofer KJJ, Strmcnik D, Blizanac BB, Stamenkovic V, Arenz M, Markov NM (2008) Measurement of oxygen reduction activities via the rotating disc electrode method: From Pt model surfaces to carbon-supported high surface area catalysts. Electrochim Acta 53:3181–3188
Pozio A, Giorgi L, Antolini E, Passalacqua E (2000) Electroxidation of H2 on Pt/C Pt–Ru/C and Pt–Mo/C anodes for polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Electrochim Acta 46:555–561
Santiago EI, Camara GA, Ticianelli EA (2003) CO-tolerance on PtMo/C electrocatalysts prepared by the formic acid method. Electrochim Acta 48:3527–3534
Zhang Z, Xin L, Sun K, Li W (2011) Carbon supported Pd-Sn and Pd-Ru-Sn nanocatalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium. Int J Hydrogen Energy 36:4664–4672
Antolini E (2003) Formation of carbon-supported PtM alloys for low temperature fuel cells: a review. Mat Chem Phys 78:563–573
Siracusano S, Stassi A, Baglio V, Aricò AS, Capitanio F, Tavares AC (2009) Investigation of carbon-supported Pt and PtCo catalysts for oxygen reduction in direct methanol fuel cells. Electrochim Acta 54:4844–4850
Jung DH, Lee CH, Kim CS, Shin DR (1998) Performance of a direct methanol polymer electrolyte fuel cell. J Power Sources 17:169–173
Aricò AS, Stassi A, Modica E, Ornelas R, Gatto I, Passalacqua E, Antonucci V (2008) Performance and degradation of high temperature polymer electrolyte fuel cell catalysts. J Power Sources 178:525–536
Zhou X, Zhang R, Zhou Z, Sun S (2011) Preparation of PtNi hollow nanospheres for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. J Power Sources 196:5844–5848
Wu H, Wang G (2009) PtxNi alloy nanoparticles as cathode catalyst for PEM fuel cells with enhanced catalytic activity. J Alloys Compd 488:195–198
Zhao Y, Yifeng E, Fan L, Qiu Y, Yang S (2007) A new route for the electrodeposition of platinum–nickel alloy nanoparticles on multi-walled carbon nanotubes. Electrochim Acta 52:5873–5878
Min M, Cho J, Cho K, Kim H (2000) Particle size and alloying effects of Pt-based alloy catalysts for fuel cell applications. Electrochim Acta 45:4211–4217
Antolini E, Salgado JRC, Gonzalez ER (2006) Oxygen reduction on a Pt70Ni30/C electrocatalyst prepared by the borohydride method in H2SO4/CH3OH solutions. J Power Sources 155:161–166
Yang H, Vogel W, Lamy C, Alonso-Vante N (2004) Structure and electrocatalytic activity of carbon-supported Pt-Ni alloy nanoparticles toward the oxygen reduction reaction. J Phys Chem B 108:11024–11034
Ayoub JMS, Geraldes AN, Tusi MM, Spinacé EV, Neto AO (2011) Preparation of PtSnSb/C by an alcohol reduction process for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). Ionics 17:559–564
Tang Y, Zhang L, Wang Y, Zhou Y, Gao Y, Liu C, Xing W, Lu T (2006) Preparation of a carbon supported Pt catalyst using an improved organic sol method and its electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation. J Power Sources 162:124–128
Piasentin RM, Spinacé EV, Tusi MM, Neto AO (2011) Preparation of PdPtSn/C-Sb2O5. SnO2 electrocatalysts by borohydride reduction for ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium. Int J Electrochem Sci 6:2255–2263
Zignani SC, Antolini E, Gonzalez ER (2009) Stability of Pt–Ni/C (1:1) and Pt/C electrocatalysts as cathode materials for polymer electrolyte fuel cells: effect of ageing tests. J Power Sources 191:344–352
Wang G, Gao Y, Wang Z, Du C, Wang J, Yin G (2010) Investigation of PtNi/C anode electrocatalysts for direct borohydride fuel cell. J Power Sources 195:185–189
Carmo M, dos Santos AR, Poco JGR, Linardi M (2007) Physical and electrochemical evaluation of commercial carbon black as electrocatalysts supports for DMFC applications. J Power Sources 173:860–866
Carmo M, Linardi M, Poco JGR (2009) Characterization of nitric acid functionalized carbon black and its evaluation as electrocatalyst support for direct methanol fuel cell applications. Appl Catal Gen 355:132–138
Chen M, Wang Z, Ding Y, Yin G (2008) Investigation of the Pt–Ni–Pb/C ternary alloy catalysts for methanol electrooxidation. Electrochem Commun 10:443–446
Brandalise M, Tusi MM, Piasentin RM, Linardi M, Spinacé EV, Neto AO (2010) PtRu/C and PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts prepared in two different ways by borohydride reduction for ethanol electro-oxidation. Int J Electrochem Sci 5:39–45
Wang Z, Zuo P, Yin G (2009) Investigation of compositions and performance of PtRuMo/C ternary catalysts for methanol electrooxidation. Fuel Cells 9:106–113
de Souza RFB, Neto ET, Calegaro ML, Santos EA, Martinho HS, dos Santos MC (2011) Ethanol electro-oxidation on Pt/C electrocatalysts: an “in situ” raman spectroelectrochemical study. Electrocatal 2:28–34
Correa PS, da Silva EL, da Silva RF, Radtke C, Moreno B, Chinarro E, Malfatti CF (2012) Effect of decreasing platinum amount in Pt-Sn-Ni alloys supported on carbon as electrocatalysts for ethanol electrooxidation. Int J Hydrogen Energy 37:9314–9323
Nagarajan M, Kalaignan GP, Paruthimal GA (2013) Novel synthesis and characterization of nanocomposite Pt-WO3-TiO2/C electrocatalyst for PEMFC. Ionics 19:127–135
Brandalise M, Verjulio-Silva RWR, Tusi MM, Correa OV, Farias LA, Linardi M, Spinacé EV, Neto AO (2009) electro-oxidation of ethanol using PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by borohydride reduction. Ionics 15:743–747
Spinacé EV, Linardi M, Neto AO (2005) Co-catalytic effect of nickel in the electro-oxidation of ethanol on binary Pt–Sn electrocatalysts. Electrochem Commun 7:365–369
Fang B, Luo J, Njoki PN, Loukrakpam R, Wanjala B, Hong J, Yin J, Hu X, Last J, Zhon C (2010) Nano-engineered PtVFe catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells: electrocatalytic performance. Electrochim Acta 55:8230–8236
Angelucci CA, Silva MD, Nart FC (2007) Preparation of platinum–ruthenium alloys supported on carbon by a sonochemical method. Electrochim Acta 52:7293–7299
Deivaraj TC, Lee JY (2005) Preparation of carbon-supported PtRu nanoparticles for direct methanol fuel cell applications—a comparative study. J Power Sources 142:43–49
Antolini E, Salgado JRC, Gonzalez ER (2005) Carbon supported Pt75M25 (M=Co, Ni) alloys as anode and cathode electrocatalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. J Electroanal Chem 580:145–157
Travitsky N, Ripenbein T, Golodnitsky D, Rosenberg Y, Burshtein L, Peled E (2006) Pt-, PtNi- and PtCo-supported catalysts for oxygen reduction in PEM fuel cells. J Power Sources 161:782–789
Antolini E, Passos RR, Ticianelli EA (2002) Electrocatalysis of oxygen reduction on a carbon supported platinum-vanadium alloy in polymer electrolyte fuel cell. Electrochim Acta 48:263–270
Santos LGRA, Oliveira CHF, Moraes IR, Ticianelli EA (2006) Oxygen reduction reaction in acid medium on Pt–Ni/C prepared by a microemulsion method. J Electroanal Chem 596:141–148
Negro E, Noto VD (2008) Polymer electrolyte fuel cells based on bimetallic carbon nitride electrocatalysts. J Power Sources 178:634–641
Cho Y, Cho Y, Lim J, Park H, Jung N, Ahna M, Choe H, Sung Y (2012) Performance of membrane electrode assemblies using PdPt alloy as anode catalysts in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. Int J Hydrogen Energy 37:5884–5890
Acknowledgments
The CNPq, FAPERGS/PRONEX/CNPq and CEEE organisations are gratefully acknowledged for their financial support.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
da Silva, F.T., Dalmazzo, V.A., Becker, M.R. et al. Effect of Ni proportion on the performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells using PtNi/C electrocatalysts. Ionics 20, 381–388 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-013-0977-z
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-013-0977-z