Method of preparing of nanometer electrocatalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

• US 6,518,217 B2
• Filed: 08/17/2001
• Issued: 02/11/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 05/25/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Original Assignee: Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry Chinese Academy of Sciences (Chinese Academy of Sciences)
• Inventors: Du, Rongbing, Lu, Tianhong, Xing, Wei
• Primary Examiner(s): Bell, Mark L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hailey, Patricia L.
• Application Number:
  US09/932,048
• Publication Number:
  US 20020177525A1
• Time in Patent Office: 543 Days
• Field of Search: 429/40, 502/101, 502/181, 502/185, 502/230
• US Class Current: 502/230
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 21/18 Carbon
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/40 of the platinum group metals
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 23/42 Platinum
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 35/60 characterised by their surface properties or porosity
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 37/0203 the impregnation liquid containing organic compounds
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/921 Alloys or mixtures with metallic elements
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/926 on carbon or graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1009 with one of the reactants being liquid, solid or liquid-charged H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 70/50 Manufacturing or production processes characterised by the final manufactured product

Abstract

The present invention relates a method for preparing nanometer electrocatalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, comprising the steps of: 1) adding in water a platinum halogen compound or a mixture of a platinum halogen compound and a ruthenium halogen compound, and active carbon, the amount of noble metal in the solution is 0.5-10 g/L, and the amount of active carbon is 0.05-2 g/L; 2) adjusting the pH of the solution to 2.5-10.5 with potassium hydroxide and/or ammonium hydroxide; 3) adding dropwise a reducing agent to an amount of 2.5 to 5 times in excess of that of the noble metal in moles, and allowing the reduction reaction to proceed; 4) filtering off the liquid and washing the remains; and 6) drying the remains. The catalysts prepared by the present invention have uniform particle sizes in the range of 4±0.5 nm, and superior electrochemical properties.

Claims

1. A method for preparing nanometer electrocatalyst for proton exchange membrane fuel cells, comprising the steps of:

1) adding in water a platinum halogen compound or a mixture of a platinum halogen compound and a ruthenium halogen compound, and active carbon, making the amount of noble metal in the solution in the range of 0.5-10 g/L, and the amount of active carbon in the range of 0.05-2 g/L;

2) adjusting the pH of the solution to 2.5-10.5 with potassium hydroxide and/or ammonium hydroxide;

3) adding dropwise a reducing agent to an amount of 2.5 to 5 times in excess of that of the noble metal in moles, and allowing the reduction reaction to proceed;

4) filtering off the liquid and washing the remains; and

6) drying the remains.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the platinum halogen compound and ruthenium halogen compound is selected from the group consisting of sodium chloroplatinate, sodium chlororuthenate, potassium chloroplatinate, potassium chlororuthenate, sodium chloroplatinite, sodium chlororuthenite, potassium chloroplatinite and potassium chlororuthenite.

3. A method according to claim 1, wherein the mixture of a platinum halogen compound and a ruthenium halogen compound has a molar ratio of platinum to ruthenium of 1:

0.2-1.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reducing agent is selected from the group consisting of hydrazine hydrate, sodium borohydride, hydrogen, formic acid and a mixture thereof.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reduction reaction is carried out at 0-70°

C.

6. A method according to claim 1, wherein the reduction reaction is carried out for more than 15 minutes.