Porous Carbon as Anode Catalyst Support to Improve Borohydride Utilization in a Direct Borohydride Fuel Cell. Issue 2 (10th April 2015)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Li, G. R.; Wang, Q. Q.; Liu, B. H.; Li, Z. P.
• Is Part Of: Fuel cells. Volume 15:Issue 2(2015)
• Page Start: 270
• Page End: 277
• Publication Date: 2015-04-10
• Subjects: Fuel cells -- Periodicals; 621.312429
• DOI: 10.1002/fuce.201300283
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1615-6846

Abstract

<abstract abstract-type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title>Abstract</title> <p>Our study explores the use of porous carbon as anode catalyst support to improve borohydride utilization in a direct borohydride fuel cell. Pt catalysts supported by carbon aerogel (CA) and macroporous carbon (MPC) are synthesized by template method. The pores in porous carbon materials catch hydrogen bubbles to regulate the contact of anolyte with catalytic sites, and this leads to the depression of hydrogen evolution during BH₄⁻ electrooxidation. However, the hydrogen bubbles in the pores simultaneously deteriorate charge carrier transport and thus increase anode polarization. The CA‐supported Pt catalyst improves the coulombic efficiency of BH₄⁻ electrooxidation. However, the MPC‐supported Pt catalyst performed better than the CA‐supported Pt catalyst. MPC also has a good pore distribution, which improves the coulombic efficiency of BH₄⁻ electrooxidation without decreasing anode performance.</p> </abstract>