A Carbon Particle-free Platinum Catalyst Developed
The Korea Institute of Science and Technology (KIST) and the Korea Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (KAIST) announced on Aug. 8 that they have developed a nanoelectrode using platinum and capable of extending the service life of a hydrogen fuel cell.
Platinum, which is used as a catalyst in a hydrogen fuel cell, shows adhesiveness and is unstable when it has a nanometer size. As a result, it cannot be used as a catalyst material on its own. At present, platinum nanoparticles with a size of 2 to 5 nanometers are attached on carbon particles in the interest of catalyst stability. However, the carbon particles in the catalyst are corroded and lost as the fuel cell is used. Then, the performance of the fuel cell declines.
The joint research team laminated a platinum structure by repeating nanoprinting in order to make a carbon particle-free and stable platinum catalyst. The electrode developed as a result has an inter-structure space along with a thickness that is 10 percent or less of those of existing ones.
“In our experiment, the maximum output density increased 27 percent compared to those of existing commercial catalyst electrodes,” the team explained, adding, “In our durability test in which the electrodes were driven 5,000 times, the performance deterioration in a commercial catalyst and our development was 72 percent and 18 percent, respectively.”
The team also said that its development can be utilized in various fields of applied electrochemistry such as fuel cell, catalyst, sensor and battery. Details of the research are available in the latest edition of the Science Advances journal.