Development of materials and degradation studies of electrocatalysts and supports for alkaline fuel cell

Abstract

This project aims at the development and application of nanostructured electrocatalysts supported in more corrosion resistant materials for anode of alkaline fuel cells AFCs. AFCs uses anion exchange membranes, aiming the oxidation of small hydrogen-rich molecules such as ammonia and ethanol. In this sense there will be a detailed study related to supports corrosion, degradation and structural changes of the developed nanomaterials in long-term experiments. In addition there will be development of free Pt electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation reaction, for ammonia or others small hydrogen-rich molecules oxidation reaction. For this will be synthesized binary nanomaterials based on Pd, Au, Ni, Sn, Bi, Ir, Ag and Pt supported on metal oxides such as Sb2O5.SnO2 (ATO) or TiO2, this may be structured in nanotube form, with or without carbon, and also on carbon for comparison. These materials will be prepared by methods of borohydride reduction, sol-gel and/or alcohol reduction process. Then will be characterized by different physical techniques such as transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and energy dispersive X-ray, which will be used to obtain information about materials for long operating times, additionally for this purpose will be used the technique of Mass Spectrometry Inductively Coupled Plasma. The oxidation reactions of small hydrogen-rich molecules will be studied by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, single direct fuel cells tests, and infrared spectroscopy in situ and/or gas chromatography. With future results to be obtained in this project is expected to contribute to the commercial viability of ethanol and ammonia AFCs with anion exchange membrane. (AU)