Preferential Protection of Low Coordinated Sites in Pt Nanoparticles for Enhancing Durability of Pt/C Catalyst

Dong Wook Lee, Seongmin Yuk, Sungyu Choi, Dong-Hyun Lee, Gisu Doo, Jonghyun Hyun, Jiyun Kwen, Jun Young Kim and Hee-Tak Kim
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Dong Wook Lee: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Seongmin Yuk: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Sungyu Choi: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Dong-Hyun Lee: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Gisu Doo: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Jonghyun Hyun: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Jiyun Kwen: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea
Jun Young Kim: R&D Division, KOLON Industries Inc., 110, Magokdong-ro, Seoul 07793, Korea
Hee-Tak Kim: Department of Chemical & Biomolecular Engineering, Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST), 291, Daehak-ro, Yuseong-gu, Daejeon 34141, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 5, 1-10

Abstract: Protecting low coordinated sites (LCS) of Pt nanoparticles, which are vulnerable to dissolution, may be an ideal solution for enhancing the durability of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, the selective protection of LCSs without deactivating the other sites presents a key challenge. Herein, we report the preferential protection of LCSs with a thiol derivative having a silane functional group, (3-mercaptopropyl) triethoxysilane (MPTES). MPTES preferentially adsorbs on the LCSs and is converted to a silica framework, providing robust masking of the LCSs. With the preferential protection, the initial oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity is marginally reduced by 8% in spite of the initial electrochemical surface area (ECSA) loss of 30%. The protected Pt/C catalyst shows an ECSA loss of 5.6% and an ORR half-wave potential loss of 5 mV after 30,000 voltage cycles between 0.6 and 1.0 V, corresponding to a 6.7- and 2.6-fold durability improvement compared to unprotected Pt/C, respectively. The preferential protection of the vulnerable LCSs provides a practical solution for PEMFC stability due to its simplicity and high efficacy.

Keywords: low coordinated site; preferential protection; Pt dissolution; durability; polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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