Catalyst for fuel cell comprising a Pt/Rh/Fe alloy and its manufacturing method

Die Erfindung betrifft einen Platin-Legierungskatalysator auf einem elektrisch leitfähigen Kohlenstoffträger, welcher eine Legierung aus 40 bis 60 Atom-% Platin, 10 bis 20 Atom-% Rhodium und 20 bis 50 Atom-% Eisen in Form von feinteiligen Legierungspartikeln enthält. Der Katalysator ist dadurch gekennzeichnet, daß die mittlere Teilchengröße der Legierungspartikel weniger als 10 nm beträgt. Platinum alloy catalyst contains 40-60 atom % Pt, 10-20 atom % Rh and 20-50 atom % Fe in the form of alloying particles of average diameter of less than 10 nm on an electrically conducting carbon support. An Independent claim is also included for the production of a Pt alloy catalyst comprising: (a) preparing a support suspension of the carbon support in water; (b) heating the suspension to the boiling point and maintaining at that temperature during the following steps; (c) adding aqueous solutions of hexachloroplatinic acid and rhodium chloride and also iron nitrate; precipitating out Pt, Rh and Fe by slowly adding caustic soda; (e) reducing the precipitated out compounds by adding an aqueous reductant; (f) removing the catalyst from the aqueous phase of the suspension; (g) drying the catalyst; (h) calcining the catalyst in an inert atmosphere at 700-1000o C for 0.5-2 hours; and (i) reducing the temperature from 700 to 500o C for a further 0.5-2 hours.