RT info:eu-repo/semantics/article
T1 Temperature dependent performance and catalyst layer properties of PtRu supported on modified few-walled carbon nanotubes for the alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell
A1 Kanninen, Petri
A1 Borghei, Maryam
A1 Hakanpää, Janina
A1 Kauppinen, Esko I.
A1 Ruiz Fernández, Virginia
A1 Kallio, Tanja
K1 Ethanol
K1 Few-walled carbon nanotube
K1 Nitrogen
K1 Direct ethanol fuel cell
K1 Catalyst layer
K1 Alkaline electrolyte
K1 Catalizadores
K1 Catalysts
AB The performance of PtRu on three differently modified few-walled carbon nanotube (FWCNT) supports for ethanol electro-oxidation is evaluated in alkaline media both with rotating disc electrode (RDE) and direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) measurements at various temperatures (0–60 °C). FWCNT are modified with oxidative treatment (O-FWCNT), aniline coating (A-FWCNT) and N-doped carbon layer (N-FWCNT). RDE testing shows that A-FWCNT/PtRu outperforms both O-FWCNT/PtRu and N-FWCNT/PtRu especially at high temperatures giving 1.5 times higher current at 60 °C. The poisoning resistance of N-FWCNT/PtRu is high over the temperature range, while O-FWCNT/PtRu and A-FWCNT/PtRu become increasingly poisoned with increasing temperature. Alkaline DEFC testing at 30 °C and 50 °C indicates similar dependence to temperature as in RDE tests. However, only N-FWCNT/PtRu can sustain currents for longer than 20–30 h during constant voltage measurement. SEM images of the catalyst layers reveal that both O-FWCNT/PtRu and A-FWCNT/PtRu form a dense structure with little pores for reactant and product transport explaining the quick performance loss, while large pores are formed with N-FWCNT/PtRu facilitating the transport. These results underline that the interactions between the catalyst support and the ionomer in the fuel cell catalyst layer are important in forming a suitable pore structure for efficient mass transfer.
PB Elsevier
SN 1572-6657
YR 2017
FD 2017-05
LK https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11098
UL https://hdl.handle.net/10259/11098
LA eng
NO P.K. acknowledges funding from Alfred Kordelin Foundation and from Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation. T.K. acknowledges funding from Jane and Aatos Erkko Foundation and Academy of Finland. This work made use of the Aalto University Nanomicroscopy Center (Aalto-NMC) premises.
DS Repositorio Institucional de la Universidad de Burgos
RD 28-abr-2026