A Porous Wrinkled Graphitic Carbon as Corrosion‐Resistant Carbon Support for Durable Fuel‐Cell Catalysts

Abstract

The lifespan of proton‐exchange membrane fuel cells heavily relies on the durability of the carbon support of cathode catalysts. However, commercial carbon supports like ketjenblack (KB) and Vulcan carbon (VC) face the challenge of balancing porosity, surface area, and electrochemical stability. To address this issue, a 3D porous wrinkled graphitic carbon (PWGC) is designed and synthesized using a catalyst‐free, plasma‐enhanced chemical vapor deposition approach. The resulting PWGC possesses a hierarchically porous structure with a high surface area, a high degree of graphitization, and exceptional corrosion resistance. As a result, the Pt/PWGC catalysts with the use of PWGC as the carbon support demonstrate superior high potential stability compared to those made with KB and VC as the carbon support. Additionally, a sacrificial layer strategy is introduced to further reduce PWGC corrosion, resulting in Pt@C/PWGC catalysts that show significantly improved durability in membrane electrode assembly tests. After 5K voltage cycles from 1.0 to 1.5 V, the retention of electrochemically active surface area approaches 56.8%, surpassing the 23.6% retention of commercial Pt/C catalysts tested under the same conditions.

Optimized mass transfer in a Pt-based cathode catalyst layer for PEM fuel cells

“…6e). 119 Pt nanoparticles were firmly attached to 3D porous graphitic carbon, preventing migration or aggregation with a stable electrochemical surface area (ECSA) after 10 000 stability cycling (Fig. 6f ).…”

Recent development and applications of differential electrochemical mass spectrometry in emerging energy conversion and storage solutions

“…99 Introducing heteroatom dopants (e.g., N and Fe) can enhance the carbon oxidation resistance, resulting in the lower intensity of CO 2 ionic current. 181,182 Luka et al revealed that a higher content of sp 2 hybridization and a lower ratio of surface carboxyl can boost the corrosion resistance. 183 The reversible formation of a passive film during carbon corrosion is also evidenced in the DEMS study.…”

“…10j and k). 179 Other compounds such as NiB, 62 metal hydroxide 91,181 and metal phosphides 106 were also effective in suppressing carbon corrosion through DEMS measurements. Additional strategies have been demonstrated by DEMS studies as well to be powerful in inhibiting carbon corrosion (Fig.…”