SBIR Phase I: Electrocatalysts for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

*摘要9660664 Wixom这个小型企业创新研究第一阶段项目将导致生产用于直接甲醇燃料电池的新型电催化剂。开发高效氧化甲醇并耐受CO和燃料中杂质的电催化剂是DMFC商业化的关键挑战。该方案的基本假设是多功能铂/金属氧化物/金属碳化物(PI/MO/MC)电催化剂对甲醇的电化学氧化是有效的。这一设计结合了之前的两种策略，事实证明，这两种策略在提高阳极电催化剂的效率和CO耐受性方面非常成功。在高比表面积的金属碳化物载体材料上会产生高度分散的双功能位。双官能位和碳化物载体具有天然的活性和CO耐受性。在第一阶段，用于制备负载型电催化剂的三个工艺变量将有所不同。将对其组成和微观结构进行表征，并将电催化剂制成电极，用于标准的电化学活性测量。在第二阶段，将对电催化剂和电极设计进行优化，并将制造出DMFC原型。这些结果将有助于解决与基于PI/MO/MC电催化剂的DMFC商业化有关的问题。低成本、高效率的直接甲醇燃料电池的发展将对燃料电池的广泛使用产生积极的影响。与基于氢的传统燃料电池相比，DMFC有几个优点，特别是在燃料能量密度、输送和储存方面。高效、耐中毒的电催化剂的展示将显著提高在下一代汽车上使用DMFC的可行性。DMFC还可能与燃气轮机竞争发电。***

*** ABSTRACT 9660664 Wixom This Small Business Innovation Research Phase I project will result in the production of new electrocatalysts for use in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFC). The development of electrocatalysts that efficiently oxidize methanol and are tolerant to CO and impurities in the fuel is a key challenge for the commercialization of DMFCs. The primary hypothesis of this proposal is that multifunctional Pt/metal oxide/metal carbide (PI/MO/MC) electrocatalysts will be effective for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol. This design combines two previous strategies that have proven very successful in improving the efficiency and CO tolerance of anodic electrocatalysts. Highly dispersed bifunctional sites will be produced on high surface area metal carbide support materials. The bifunctional sites and carbide support are inherently active and CO-tolerant. During Phase I, three process variables used in preparing the supported electrocatalysts will be varied. The compositional and microstructural properties will be characterized and the electrocatalysts will be fabricated into electrodes for standard electrochemical activity measurements. In Phase II the electrocatalysts and electrode designs will be optimized, and prototype DMFCs will be fabricated. These results will allow issues related concerning the commercialization of DMFCs based on PI/MO/MC electrocatalysts to be addressed. The widespread use of fuel cells would be positively impacted by the development of a low cost, high efficiency DMFC. DMFCs offers several advantages over conventional fuel cells based on hydrogen in particular with respect to fuel energy density, delivery and storage. The demonstration of efficient, poison-tolerant electrocatalysts will significantly improve the feasibility of using DMFCs in next generation vehicles. DMFCs may also compete with gas turbines for generation of electricity. ***