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Development of alloy electrocatalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC)

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  • Reviews of Applied Electrochemistry 32
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Abstract

One of the great scientific achievements for electrocatalysis in the past ten years has been the ability to reproducibly form microparticles of platinum metals in conductive supports. The dimensions of these crystallites are such that up to 50% of the atom content is at the crystallite surface the are single crystals, and have metallurgical properties that are unlike, bulk metals. These have found application as electrocatalysts in hot phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC) for oxygen reduction and hydrogen oxidation. Much of the recent work has been involved with developing various binary and ternary alloy combinations while at the same time, maintaining the crystallite microdimensions. Pt−Co−Cr alloys are one of the most favoured combinations for oxygen reduction and the Pt−Pd alloys are favoured for hydrogen oxidation, especially in the presence of trace, poisons such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen sulphide. Operation of these electrocatalysts is the subject of much investigation, with the present conclusion that the apparent mode of catalytic enhancement with the binary and ternary platinum alloys for oxygen reduction, resides in the leaching of the non-platinum elements from the alloy crystallite surfaces to give a microroughening, and thereby an increased reaction surface area.

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  1. Stonehart Associaties Inc, 17 Cottage Road, PO Box 1220, 06443, Madison, Connecticut, USA

    P. Stonehart

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  1. P. Stonehart
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This paper is based on an address given before the 40th International Society of Electrochemistry meeting, Kyoto, Japan (1989).

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Stonehart, P. Development of alloy electrocatalysts for phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC). J Appl Electrochem 22, 995–1001 (1992). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01029576

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01029576

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