A comparative evaluation of palladium and platinum nanoparticles as catalysts in proton exchange membrane electrochemical cells
by Sergey A. Grigoriev, Vladimir N. Fateev, Hugh Middleton, Tor O. Saetre, Pierre Millet
International Journal of Nuclear Hydrogen Production and Applications (IJNHPA), Vol. 1, No. 4, 2008

Abstract: The goal of the present study is the development and comparative characterisation of carbon-supported and nanostructured Pd- and Pt-based electrocatalysts for hydrogen oxidation in Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) H₂/O₂(air) fuel cells and proton reduction in PEM water electrolysers. Catalysts have been synthesised in a solution using a combined impregnation/reduction polyol method. They have been characterised using X-ray Diffraction (XRD) analysis, Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) and cyclic voltammetry. NanoPt, nanoPd and nanoPt-Pd catalysts deposited onto a carbon carrier have been used to prepare Membrane-Electrode Assemblies (MEAs) which, in turn, have been tested in PEM fuel cell and water electrolysis configuration. Using Pt_0.5Pd_0.5 (40 wt% on Vulcan XC-72) as a catalyst at the anodic side of a fuel cell, a typical cell voltage of 0.7 V was obtained at a current density of ca. 1.1 A cm⁻². Using Pd (40 wt% on Vulcan XC-72) as a catalyst at the cathodic side of an electrolysis cell, a typical voltage of 1.70 V was obtained at a current density of 1 A cm⁻². The electrochemical performances of the MEAs containing nanoPd-Vulcan were found similar to those obtained with nanoPt-Vulcan, either in fuel cell mode or electrolysis mode of operation. Palladium can, therefore, be used as an alternative catalyst for the hydrogen electrode in PEM electrochemical cells.

Online publication date: Mon, 09-Feb-2009

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