NON-PLATINUM GROUP METAL ELECTROCATALYSTS USING METAL ORGANIC FRAMEWORK MATERIALS AND METHOD OF PREPARATION
First Claim
1. A method of preparing a high surface area electrode catalyst free of platinum group metals (PGM) for use in a fuel cell, comprising:
- preparing a metal-organic framework (MOF) material having a plurality of pores and including a non-PGM first transition metal catalytic center, an organic ligand and a first organic solvent contained within a portion of the plurality of pores, comprising;
dissolving a first transition metal salt in a first organic solvent to form a metal salt solution, the transition metal salt includes the first transition metal which is selected from the group consisting of;
Co, Fe, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ta and W;
dissolving at least one multidentate ligand in the first organic solvent to form a ligand solution;
mixing a predetermined molar ratio of the metal salt solution and the ligand solution into a reaction mixture; and
forming the MOF material through chemical reaction and separating the MOF material from the reaction mixture as a precipitate;
substituting at least a portion of the contained first organic solvent with a second chemical moiety to enhance formation of electrocatalytic active sites in the MOF material; and
thermally treating the MOF material for a predetermined period within an environment at a thermal conversion temperature to form the high surface area electrode catalyst having a plurality of uniformly distributed electrocatalytic active sites.
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Abstract
A method of preparing a nitrogen containing electrode catalyst by converting a high surface area metal-organic framework (MOF) material free of platinum group metals that includes a transition metal, an organic ligand, and an organic solvent via a high temperature thermal treatment to form catalytic active sites in the MOF. At least a portion of the contained organic solvent may be replaced with a nitrogen containing organic solvent or an organometallic compound or a transition metal salt to enhance catalytic performance. The electrode catalysts may be used in various electrochemical systems, including a proton exchange membrane fuel cell.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. A method of preparing a high surface area electrode catalyst free of platinum group metals (PGM) for use in a fuel cell, comprising:
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preparing a metal-organic framework (MOF) material having a plurality of pores and including a non-PGM first transition metal catalytic center, an organic ligand and a first organic solvent contained within a portion of the plurality of pores, comprising; dissolving a first transition metal salt in a first organic solvent to form a metal salt solution, the transition metal salt includes the first transition metal which is selected from the group consisting of;
Co, Fe, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ta and W;dissolving at least one multidentate ligand in the first organic solvent to form a ligand solution; mixing a predetermined molar ratio of the metal salt solution and the ligand solution into a reaction mixture; and forming the MOF material through chemical reaction and separating the MOF material from the reaction mixture as a precipitate; substituting at least a portion of the contained first organic solvent with a second chemical moiety to enhance formation of electrocatalytic active sites in the MOF material; and thermally treating the MOF material for a predetermined period within an environment at a thermal conversion temperature to form the high surface area electrode catalyst having a plurality of uniformly distributed electrocatalytic active sites. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A non-platinum group metal (PGM) electrode catalyst for use in a fuel cell, comprising:
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a high surface area metal-organic framework (MOF) material having a plurality of pores, the MOF material including a non-PGM first transition metal capable of forming a catalytic center and selected from the group consisting of;
Co, Fe, Ni, Cr, Cu, Mn, Ta and W, a nitrogen containing organic multidentate ligand, and a first organic solvent contained within a portion of the plurality of pores, the first organic solvent capable of dissolving a precursor of the non-PGM first transition metal and a nitrogen containing organic multidentate ligand and a templating agent,wherein at least the first transition metal, the multidentate ligand, and the contained first solvent are configured to react under a thermal treatment of the MOF material so to form a plurality of catalytic active sites uniformly distributed in the hence formed electrode catalyst. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14)
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15. A method of preparing a nitrogen containing electrode catalyst free of precious group metals (PGM), comprising:
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synthesizing a metal-organic framework (MOF) electrode catalyst precursor, the MOF electrode catalyst precursor including a first non-PGM transition metal, a multidentate ligand, and a first organic solvent disposed within a plurality of uniformly distributed cavities in the MOF material; substituting at least a portion of the first organic solvent disposed within the plurality of cavities with one of a nitrogen-containing organic solvent and a second non-PGM transition metal; and thermally activating the MOF electrode catalyst precursor by an elevated temperature treatment to form a plurality of uniformly distributed electrocatalytic active sites. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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Specification