Hollow spherical carbon with mesoporous shell as a superb anode catalyst support in proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Abstract

Hollow core mesoporous shell carbon (HCMSC) has been explored for the first time as an anode catalyst support in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). The fantastic structural characteristics of the HCMSC such as large specific surface area and mesoporous volume and well-developed three-dimensionally interconnected bimodal porosity make it an excellent catalyst support in PEMFC. The supported PtRu nanoparticles have shown smaller particle size and better dispersion on the HCMSC than on commercial carbon black Vulcan XC-72. Considerable improvements in the electrocatalytic activity toward H-2 oxidation and fuel cell performance have been demonstrated by the HCMSC-supported PtRu nanoparticles compared with Vulcan XC-72 supported ones (i.e., corresponding to an enhancement of more than 60% in power density compared with that of PtRu/Vulcan), implying that HCMSC is a superb anode catalyst support in PEMFC. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.