Instability of commercial Pt/C and Pd/C electrocatalysts in alkaline media

Anicet Zadick, Laetitia Dubau, Marian Chatenet, Umit Demirci, Alexey Serov, Plamen Atanassov

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceedingConference contributionpeer-review

21 Scopus citations

Abstract

The electrochemical degradation of commercial (E-TEK) Pt and Pd nanoparticles supported on Vulcan XC-72 (noted Pt/C and Pd/C) was performed in NaOH electrolyte solutions. The fate of the electrocatalysts upon accelerated stress test (AST) in alkaline medium was compared to that in acidic (H2SO4 and HClO4) electrolyte solutions. Electrochemical measurements, combined with Identical-Location Transmission Electron Microscopy (ILTEM) demonstrated that the Pt/C catalyst degradation in 0.1 M NaOH at 25°C is extremely severe for a mild accelerated stress test (AST - 150 cycles, at 100 mV sec-1 and 25°C, between 0.1 and 1.23 V vs. RHE), mainly owing to large nanoparticles detachment from the carbon substrate. For Pd/C, an opposite trend is found: the degradations are harsher in acidic environment.

Original languageEnglish
Title of host publicationPolymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells 15, PEFC 15
EditorsH. A. Gasteiger, A. Z. Weber, V. K. Ramani, T. F. Fuller, R. A. Mantz, H. Uchida, F. N. Buchi, M. Edmundson, C. Coutanceau, J. M. Fenton, S. Mitsushima, T. J. Schmidt, K. Shinohara, K. Swider-Lyons, D. J. Jones, B. S. Pivovar, K. E. Ayers, K. A. Perry, S. R. Narayanan, P. Strasser
PublisherElectrochemical Society Inc.
Pages553-558
Number of pages6
Edition17
ISBN (Electronic)9781607685395
DOIs
StatePublished - 2015
Externally publishedYes
EventSymposium on Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells 15, PEFC 2015 - 228th ECS Meeting - Phoenix, United States
Duration: Oct 11 2015Oct 15 2015

Publication series

NameECS Transactions
Number17
Volume69
ISSN (Print)1938-6737
ISSN (Electronic)1938-5862

Conference

ConferenceSymposium on Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells 15, PEFC 2015 - 228th ECS Meeting
Country/TerritoryUnited States
CityPhoenix
Period10/11/1510/15/15

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