ANODE FOR FUEL CELL AND FUEL CELL USING THE SAME

• US 20090061276A1
• Filed: 08/29/2008
• Published: 03/05/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/31/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba (Toshiba Corporation)
• Inventors: TAMURA, Jun, FUKAZAWA, Taishi, MEI, Wu, NAKANO, Yoshihiko
• Granted Patent: US 8,197,965 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 429/502
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2004/8684 Negative electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/925 supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

This invention provides an anode for a fuel cell which can realize stable output for a long period of time, and a fuel cell using the anode for a fuel cell. The anode for a fuel cell comprises an electrode catalyst layer, the electrode catalyst layer comprising a supported catalyst comprising an electroconductive carrier material and catalyst fine particles supported on the electroconductive carrier material, a proton conductive inorganic oxide, and a proton conductive organic polymer binder, the weight ratio between the supported catalyst (C) and the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA), W_SA/W_C, being 0.06 to 0.38, the weight ratio between the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA) and the proton conductive organic polymer binder (P), W_P/W_SA, being 0.125 to 0.5.

Claims

1. An anode for a fuel cell, comprising an electrode catalyst layer, the electrode catalyst layer comprising:

a supported catalyst comprising an electroconductive carrier material and catalyst fine particles supported on the electroconductive carrier material;

a proton conductive inorganic oxide; and

a proton conductive organic polymer binder;

the weight ratio between the supported catalyst (C) and the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA), W_SA/W_C, being 0.06 to 0.38,

the weight ratio between the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA) and the proton conductive organic polymer binder (P), W_P/W_SA, being 0.125 to 0.5.

2. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst fine particle has a composition represented by formula (1), and the area of a peak attributable to a metallic bond of element T in a spectrum measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is not less than 20% of the area of a peak attributable to an oxygen bond of element T:

Pt_xRu_yT_z 

 

(1)

wherein element T is at least one element selected from the group consisting of vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), and hafnium (Hf); and

x is 30 to 60 at. %, y is 20 to 50 at. %, and z is 5 to 50 at. %.

3. The anode according to claim 2, wherein z is 10 to 35 at. %.

4. The anode according to claim 2, wherein the catalyst fine particle further comprises at least one noble metal element selected from the group consisting of rhodium (Rh), osmium (Os), and iridium (Ir).

5. The anode according to claim 2, wherein the catalyst fine particle further comprises at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of tungsten (W), nickel (Ni), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co).

6. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst fine particle has a composition represented by formula (2), and the area of a peak attributable to a metallic bond of element M in a spectrum measured by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy is not less than 20% of the area of a peak attributable to an oxygen bond of element M:

Pt_xRu_yM_zSn_u 

 

(2)

wherein element M is at least one element selected from the group consisting of vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), hafnium (Hf), and tungsten (W); and

x is 30 to 60 at. %, y is 20 to 50 at. %, z is 5 to 50 at. %, and u is 0.5 to 12 at. %.

7. The anode according to claim 6, wherein u is 1 to 10 at. %.

8. The anode according to claim 6, wherein the catalyst fine particle further comprises at least one noble metal element selected from the group consisting of rhodium (Rh), osmium (Os), and iridium (Ir).

9. The anode according to claim 6, wherein the catalyst fine particle further comprises at least one metal element selected from the group consisting of molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), chromium (Cr), and cobalt (Co).

10. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the average particle diameter of the catalyst fine particles is not more than 10 nm.

11. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the spacing between crystal faces, which exhibit a main peak in an X-ray diffraction pattern, is 2.16 to 2.25 angstroms.

12. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the proton conductive organic polymer binder contains a sulfonic acid group.

13. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the proton conductive inorganic oxide comprises an oxide carrier containing at least one element Y selected from the group consisting of titanium (Ti), zirconium (Zr), silicon (Si), aluminum (Al), tin (Sn), hafnium (Hf), germanium (Ge), gallium (Ga), indium (In), cerium (Ce), and niobium (Nb), and an oxide particle containing at least one element X selected from the group consisting of tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), chromium (Cr), boron (B), and vanadium (V) and supported on the surface of the oxide carrier.

14. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the proton conductive inorganic oxide has a Hammett acidity function H₀ satisfying

−

20.00<

H₀<

−

11.93.

15. The anode according to claim 1, wherein the supported catalyst comprises the catalyst fine particles which have been provided on the electroconductive carrier held at a temperature of 400°

C. or below by sputtering or vapor deposition.

16. A membrane electrode assembly comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidizing agent electrode, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the fuel electrode and the oxidizing agent electrode, wherein

the fuel electrode comprises a catalyst layer, and the catalyst layer comprises:

a supported catalyst comprising an electroconductive carrier material and catalyst fine particles supported on the electroconductive carrier material;

a proton conductive inorganic oxide; and

a proton conductive organic polymer binder;

the weight ratio between the supported catalyst (C) and the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA), W_SA/W_C, being 0.06 to 0.38,

the weight ratio between the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA) and the proton conductive organic polymer binder (P), W_P/W_SA, being 0.125 to 0.5.

17. A fuel cell comprising a fuel electrode, an oxidizing agent electrode, and an electrolyte membrane disposed between the fuel electrode and the oxidizing agent electrode, wherein

the fuel electrode comprises a catalyst layer, and the catalyst layer comprises:

a supported catalyst comprising an electroconductive carrier material and catalyst fine particles supported on the electroconductive carrier material;

a proton conductive inorganic oxide; and

a proton conductive organic polymer binder;

the weight ratio between the supported catalyst (C) and the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA), W_SA/W_C, being 0.06 to 0.38,

the weight ratio between the proton conductive inorganic oxide (SA) and the proton conductive organic polymer binder (P), W_P/W_SA, being 0.125 to 0.5.

18. A process for producing a supported catalyst for a fuel cell, comprising providing catalyst fine particles on an electroconductive carrier held at 400°

C. or below by sputtering or vapor deposition.

19. The process according to claim 18, wherein the catalyst fine particles are provided on the electroconductive carrier while stirring the electroconductive carrier.