Pt Coating on Flame-Generated Carbon Particles and Their Application for a Catalytic Electrode of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC)

Carbon black, activated carbon and carbon nanotube have been used as supporting materials for precious metal catalysts used in fuel cell electrodes. One-step flame synthesis method is used to coat 2-5nm Pt dots on flame-generated carbon particles. By adjusting flame temperature, gas flow rates and resident time of particles in flame, we can obtain Pt/C nano catalyst-support composite particles. Additional injection of hydrogen gas facilitates pyrolysis of Pt precursor in flame. The size of as-incepted Pt dots increases along the flame due to longer resident time and sintering in high temperature flame. Surface coverage and dispersion of the Pt dots is varied at different sampling heights and confirmed by Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Energy-dispersive spectra (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Crystalline and surface bonding groups of carbon are investigated through X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy. The electro-catalytic property of Pt/C composites for the application to catalytic electrode PEMFC are also investigated by Cyclic voltammetry (CV).