Nanostructured catalyst supports

• US RE45,703 E1
• Filed: 10/02/2014
• Issued: 09/29/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: OneD Material LLC
• Original Assignee: OneD Material LLC
• Inventors: Zhu, Yimin, Goldman, Jay L., Qian, Baixin, Stefan, Ionel C.
• Primary Examiner(s): TORRES VELAZQUEZ, NORCA LIZ
• Application Number:
  US14/505,182
• Time in Patent Office: 362 Days
• Field of Search: 429/523, 429/524, 429/525, 429/526, 429/527, 429/528, 502/177, 502/178, 502/200, 502305-355, 501/88, 997/700, 997/734, 997/755, 997/775, 997/948
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 27/22 Carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/52 based on carbon, e.g. graphite
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/04 mainly consisting of carbon-silicon compounds, carbon or silicon
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 2008/1095 Fuel cells with polymeric electrolytes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/02 Electrodes composed of, or comprising, active material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/133 Electrodes based on carbonaceous material, e.g. graphite-intercalation compounds or CFx
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8605 Porous electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8657 layered
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8663 Selection of inactive substances as ingredients for catalytic active masses, e.g. binders, fillers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/8807 Gas diffusion layers
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9016 Oxides, hydroxides or oxygenated metallic salts
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/9075 Catalytic material supported on carriers, e.g. powder carriers H01M4/8807, H01M4/881, H01M4/8814, H01M4/925 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 4/92 Metals of platinum group H01M4/94 , H01M4/9058 take precedence
• 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: H01M 8/0234 Carbonaceous material
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/0241 Composites
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/04194 Concentration measuring cells
• CPC Class Codes: H01M 8/1007 with both reactants being gaseous or vaporised H01M8/12 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 60/50 Fuel cells

Abstract

The present invention relates to SiC nanostructures, including SiC nanopowder, SiC nanowires, and composites of SiC nanopowder and nanowires, which can be used as catalyst supports in membrane electrode assemblies and in fuel cells. The present invention also relates to composite catalyst supports comprising nanopowder and one or more inorganic nanowires for a membrane electrode assembly.

Claims

1. A catalyst support for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell power source, comprising one or more SiC nanostructures, wherein the SiC nanostructures have at least one metal catalyst disposed thereon, wherein the SiC nanostructures comprise SiC nanopowder, wherein the SiC nanopowder is cross-linked by graphene sheets.

2. The catalyst support of claim 1, further comprising one or more nanowires comprising RuO₂, SiC, GaN, TiO₂, SnO₂, WC_x, MoC_x, ZrC, WN_x, or MoN_x.

3. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal comprises one or more of Pt, Au, Pd, Ru, Re, Rh, Os, Ir, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, V, Cr, Mo, W, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

4. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal comprises nanoparticles having a diameter less than about 10 nm.

5. The catalyst support of claim 1, further comprising a proton conducting polymer in contact with the SiC nanopowder.

6. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the membrane electrode assembly is a component in a hydrogen fuel cell or a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

7. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the catalyst metal comprises PtRu nanoparticles.

16. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the power source is a fuel cell.

17. The catalyst support of claim 1, wherein the power source is a battery.

8. A catalyst support for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell, comprising one or more SiC nanostructures, wherein the SiC nanostructures have at least one metal catalyst disposed thereon, wherein the SiC nanostructures comprise a composite of SiC nanopowder and SiC nanowires, and wherein the nanopowder and the nanowires are cross-linked by graphene sheets.

9. A catalyst support for a membrane electrode assembly of a fuel cell comprising a composite of SiC nanopowder and inorganic nanowires, wherein at least one of the SiC nanopowder and the inorganic nanowires have at least one metal catalyst disposed thereon, and wherein the SiC nanopowder and the inorganic nanowires are cross-linked by graphene sheets.

10. The catalyst support of claim 9, wherein the nanowires comprise RuO₂, SiC, GaN, TiO₂, SnO₂, WC_x, MoC_x, ZrC, WN_x, or MoN_x nanowires.

11. The catalyst support of claim 9, wherein the catalyst metal comprises one or more of Pt, Au, Pd, Ru, Re, Rh, as As, Ir, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ag, V, Cr, Mo, W, and alloys or mixtures thereof.

13. The catalyst support of claim 9, further comprising a proton conducting polymer in contact with the SiC nanopowder and nanowires.

14. The catalyst support of claim 9, wherein the membrane electrode assembly is a component in a hydrogen fuel cell or a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC).

15. The catalyst support of claim 9, wherein the catalyst metal comprises Pt nanoparticles.

12. The catalyst support of chum 9, wherein the catalyst metal comprises nanoparticles having a diameter less than about 10 nm.