Advanced metal nanowire and nanotube catalysts for fuel cells

日益增长的环境问题和化石燃料的迅速耗尽，在全世界范围内对替代性清洁能源技术产生了巨大的需求。聚合物电解质膜燃料电池（PEMFC）被认为是最有前途的零排放电动汽车，家庭/建筑物和便携式电子产品。与PEMFC催化剂特别相关的两个主要技术障碍是：（i）铂（Pt）的高成本和（ii）目前可用的Pt基催化剂的耐久性不足。我们解决氧还原（ORR）动力学缓慢、耐久性低和Pt含量高的问题的方法是设计一类新的先进Pt/Pt-金属/非Pt纳米线和纳米管催化剂，其具有可控的尺寸（直径、长度和纳米管壁厚度）、组成（例如，Pt和非贵金属的二元和三元合金）和结构（具有Pt单层/多层壳的核-壳）。本项目的最终目标是开发新型、廉价的纳米结构催化剂，具有优异的稳定性和增强的PEMFC催化活性，并推进我们对这些催化剂的催化和降解机理的基本理解。所提出的方法和途径，在合成，加工，计算和优化的催化剂和膜电极组件（MEA）的制造，预计将提供实验，理论和工程见解的纳米结构的燃料电池催化剂。这项拟议中的研究可以通过利用纳米技术的最新进展，为燃料电池技术带来革命性的进步。拟议的活动还旨在培训高素质人员（HQP），他们将对加拿大和全球下一代技术的发展至关重要。

The growing environmental concerns and rapid depletion of fossil fuels have created enormous worldwide demand for alternative, clean energy technologies. Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells (PEMFCs) have been considered most promising for powering zero-emission electric vehicles, homes/buildings, and portable electronics. Two major technical barriers specifically associated with the PEMFC catalysts are: (i) high cost of Platinum (Pt) and (ii) insufficient durability of currently available Pt based catalysts. Our approach to solving the problems of slow kinetics of the oxygen reduction (ORR), low durability and high Pt content is to design a new class of advanced Pt/Pt-metal/non-Pt nanowires and nanotubes catalysts with controllable size (diameter, length, and nanotube wall thickness), composition (e.g., binary and ternary alloy of Pt and non-precious metals) and structures (core-shell with Pt monolayer/multilayer shell). The ultimate goal of this project is to develop new, inexpensive nanostructured catalysts with excellent stability and enhanced catalytic activity for PEMFCs, and advance our fundamental understanding of catalytic and degradation mechanisms of these catalysts. The proposed approaches and methods in synthesis, processing, computation and optimization of catalysts and membrane electrode assembly (MEA) fabrication are expected to provide experimental, theoretical, and engineering insights into the nanostructured fuel cell catalysts. The proposed research could bring revolutionary advances to the fuel cell technology by taking advantages of the most recent progresses in nanotechnology. The proposed activity also aims to train highly qualified personnel (HQP) who will be critical in the development of next generation technology in Canada and globally.