Atomic layer deposition of ultrathin layered TiO2 on Pt/C cathode catalyst for extended durability in polymer electrolyte fuel cells

摘要

This study shows the preparation of a TiO_2 coated Pt/C(TiO_2/Pt/C) by atomic layer deposition(ALD),and the examination of the possibility for TiO_2/Pt/C to be used as a durable cathode catalyst in polymer electrolyte fuel cells(PEFCs). Cyclic voltammetry results revealed that TiO_2/Pt/C catalyst which has 2 nm protective layer showed similar activity for the oxygen reduction reaction compared to Pt/C catalysts and they also had good durability. TiO_2/Pt/C prepared by 10 ALD cycles degraded 70% after 2000 Accelerated degradation test, while Pt/C corroded 92% in the same conditions. TiO_2 ultrathin layer by ALD is able to achieve a good balance between the durability and activity, leading to TiO_2/Pt/C as a promising cathode catalyst for PEFCs. The mechanism of the TiO_2 protective layer used to prevent the degradation of Pt/C is discussed.