Carbon Nanotube Free-Standing Film of Pt/MWNTs as a Bifunctional Component in Hydrogen Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

摘要

Conventional fuel cell architecture on one side of the membrane electrode assembly consists of a carbon backing layer, hydrophobic microporous layer (MPL), and a catalyst layer, which is in contact with the solid proton exchange membrane. Pt nanoparticles are deposited onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (Pt/MWNTs) and a free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs is fabricated to act as the MPL and the catalyst layer in hydrogen fuel cells. The free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs condenses two functions into one bifunctional layer that simplifies the fuel cell fabrication procedure. Fuel cell polarization performance improves when using the free-standing film of Pt/MWNTs without the MPL resulting in higher a higher peak performance of 1.2 W/cm~2 in comparison with 1.0 W/cm2 when in the presence of a MPL