Tuesday, 15 May 2018
Ballroom 6ABC (Washington State Convention Center)
Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are promising power source because of their high power generation efficiency and low environmental pollution. However, PEFCs contain precious platinum catalyst in cathode and this leads to be expensive. Thus, PEFCs have to reduce the catalyst cost to be used more widely. In order to decrease the amount of platinum in the cathode, core-shell structured nanoparticles have been tried to synthesize. Core-shell structured nanoparticles mean, for example, Pt nanoparticles whose core is displaced by copper.
However, most of the synthesis methods of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles require high energy and multiple processes. To cut the cost of PEFCs fundamentally, low cost synthesis method of core-shell nanoparticles needs to be developed. Therefore, in this study, one step synthesis method of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles was researched under a mild condition such as aqueous solution of room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Although the mild condition can cut the process cost, there are several problems. Therefore, possibility to synthesize Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles on the mild condition have to be evaluated before trying one step synthesis. Carbon supported Cu nanoparticles were synthesized as the first step. In the second step, the surface of the Cu nanoparticles was displaced by platinum, then Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized on the mild condition in two steps.
To synthesize Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles in one step, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of metal complexes was calculated and controlled. Generally, ORP of Pt is higher than that of Cu and this leads to form Pt core Cu shell structure when Pt and Cu are reduced together. To achieve Cu core Pt shell structure, ORP calculation technique was developed and the synthesis condition which can invert the ORPs of Pt and Cu was found. Therefore, one step synthesis of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles was performed on this condition and several properties of low cost PEFC cathode catalyst were measured. Detailed results will be shown in our session.
However, most of the synthesis methods of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles require high energy and multiple processes. To cut the cost of PEFCs fundamentally, low cost synthesis method of core-shell nanoparticles needs to be developed. Therefore, in this study, one step synthesis method of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles was researched under a mild condition such as aqueous solution of room temperature and atmospheric pressure.
Although the mild condition can cut the process cost, there are several problems. Therefore, possibility to synthesize Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles on the mild condition have to be evaluated before trying one step synthesis. Carbon supported Cu nanoparticles were synthesized as the first step. In the second step, the surface of the Cu nanoparticles was displaced by platinum, then Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles were synthesized on the mild condition in two steps.
To synthesize Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles in one step, oxidation-reduction potential (ORP) of metal complexes was calculated and controlled. Generally, ORP of Pt is higher than that of Cu and this leads to form Pt core Cu shell structure when Pt and Cu are reduced together. To achieve Cu core Pt shell structure, ORP calculation technique was developed and the synthesis condition which can invert the ORPs of Pt and Cu was found. Therefore, one step synthesis of Cu-Pt core-shell nanoparticles was performed on this condition and several properties of low cost PEFC cathode catalyst were measured. Detailed results will be shown in our session.