This work presents a CO tolerance study of PtMo/C (70:30, Pt:Mo) and Pt/MoO2-C anode catalysts on proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) with Nafion® and Aquivion® ionomer membranes. Results denote improved activity for the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in the presence of CO on both anode catalysts at 85 ºC. Experiments of identical location transmission electron microscopy evidenced very good stability of the Pt particles along an accelerate stress test (AST) applied to the Mo-based anode catalysts. However, a crossover of degradation Mo products originated in the anode and going to the cathode takes place along this anode AST, causing a PEMFC performance decay. A very little effect of the nature of the membrane, Nafion® or Aquivion®, is observed over these crossover phenomena. Results also denote that when operating at appropriate high temperatures (105 ºC for Nafion® and 125 ºC for Aquivion®), there is no need of incorporating unstable oxophilic transition metals on Pt to achieve improved CO tolerance on PEMFCs, when the CO level in the hydrogen fed is of the order of 100 ppm.

ABSTRACT Studies aiming at improving the activity and stability of dispersed W and Mo containing Pt catalysts for the CO tolerance in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) anodes are revised for the following catalyst systems: (1) a carbon supported PtMo electrocatalyst submitted to heat treatments; (2) Pt and PtMo nanoparticles deposited on carbon-supported molybdenum carbides (Mo2C/C); (3) ternary and quaternary materials formed by PtMoFe/C, PtMoRu/C and PtMoRuFe/C and; (4) Pt nanoparticles supported on tungsten carbide/carbon catalysts and its parallel evaluation with carbon supported PtW catalyst. The heat-treated (600 oC) Pt-Mo/C catalyst showed higher hydrogen oxidation activity in the absence and in the presence of CO and better stability, compared to all other Mo-containing catalysts. PtMoRuFe, PtMoFe, PtMoRu supported on carbon and Pt supported on Mo2C/C exhibited similar CO tolerances but better stability, as compared to as-prepared PtMo supported on carbon. Among the tungsten-based catalysts, tungsten carbide supported Pt catalyst showed reasonable performance and reliable stability in comparison to simple carbon supported PtW catalyst, though an uneven level of catalytic activity towards H2 oxidation in presence of CO is observed for the former as compared to Mo containing catalyst. However, a small dissolution of Mo, Ru, Fe and W from the anodes and their migration toward cathodes during the cell operation is observed. These results indicate that the fuel cell performance and stability has been improved but not yet totally resolved.

This work reports results of studies on the electrochemical and structural properties of a Ti/Zr-based metal hydride alloy covered by Ni and LaNi4,7Sn0,3 powder additives by ball milling. The effect of this treatment is investigated for the activation time, hydrogen storage capacity and equilibrium pressure, cycling stability and the hydration/dehydration kinetics. Charge and discharge cycles show a significant decrease of the activation time due to an increase of the active area caused by the milling treatment, independent of the additive. However, other results have evidenced little effect of the milling surface treatment on the charge storage capacity, hydrogen equilibrium pressure, and hydration/dehydration kinetics, for both the Ni and LaNi4,7Sn0,3 covered materials.

This work discusses the electrocatalytic processes taking place in the polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes, specifically the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), because these are clear examples of electrochemical reactions favored by the use of electrocatalysts. Since the gaseous reactants are very little soluble in the electrolyte, the use of special electrodes, named gas diffusion electrodes, is required to promote easy and continuous access of reactant gases to the electrocatalytic sites. Besides this, other important aspects such as the use of spectroscopic techniques and of theoretical models to improve the knowledge of the electrocatalytic systems are shortly discussed.

A cinética da reação de redução de oxigênio (RRO) foi estudada em eletrólito de KOH em eletrodos de camada ultra fina, formados por eletrocatalisadores de Pt-V, Pt-Cr e Pt-Co dispersos em pó de carbono (Pt-M/C). As características eletrônicas e estruturais dos eletrocatalisadores foram estudadas por XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) e EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) in situ. Voltametria cíclica e curvas de polarização do estado estacionário para a RRO foram obtidas usando a técnica de disco/anel rotatório. Os resultados de XANES para as ligas no estado oxidado mostraram um aumento na ocupação da banda 5d da Platina, enquanto que os resultados de EXAFS mostraram uma pequena redução na distância interatômica Pt-Pt em relação à Pt/C. As medidas eletroquímicas indicaram que o mecanismo via 4 elétrons é principalmente seguido para a RRO nas ligas de platina. A maior atividade eletrocatalítica foi atingida pela liga Pt-V/C, depois de tratamento térmico a 850 ºC em atmosfera de hidrogênio.

The kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied in KOH electrolyte on ultra thin layer electrodes formed by Pt-V, Pt-Cr and Pt-Co electrocatalysts dispersed on a carbon powder (Pt-M/C). The electronic and structural features of the materials were studied by in situ XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) and EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure). Cyclic voltammograms and steady state polarization curves for the ORR were obtained using the rotating ring/disk electrode technique. The XANES results for the composites in the oxidized state have shown an increase of the occupancy of the Pt 5d band while the EXAFS analyses showed some reduction of the Pt-Pt interatomic distance in the different metal alloys compared to Pt/C. The electrochemical measurements indicated that the 4-electrons mechanism is mainly followed for the ORR in these platinum alloys. The highest electrocatalytic activity was shown by the Pt-V/C alloy, after treated at 850 ºC under hydrogen atmosphere.

А cinética da reação de redução de oxigênio (RRO) foi estudada em eletrólito de KOH em eletrodos de camada ultra fina, formados por eletrocatalisadores de Pt-V, Pt-Cr e Pt-Co dispersos em pó de carbono (Pt-M/C). As características eletrônicas e estruturais dos eletrocatalisadores foram estudadas por XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) e EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure) in situ. Voltametria cíclica e curvas de polarização do estado estacionário para a RRO foram obtidas usando a técnica de disco/anel rotatório. Os resultados de XANES para as ligas no estado oxidado mostraram um aumento na ocupação da banda 5d da Platina, enquanto que os resultados de EXAFS mostraram uma pequena redução na distância interatômica Pt-Pt em relação à Pt/C. As medidas eletroquímicas indicaram que o mecanismo via 4 elétrons é principalmente seguido para a RRO nas ligas de platina. A maior atividade eletrocatalítica foi atingida pela liga Pt-V/ C, depois de tratamento térmico a 850 ºC em atmosfera de hidrogênio.

The kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was studied in KOH electrolyte on ultra thin layer electrodes formed by Pt-V, Pt-Cr and Pt-Co electrocatalysts dispersed on a carbon powder (Pt-M/C). The electronic and structural features of the materials were studied by in situ XANES (X-ray Absorption Near Edge Structure) and EXAFS (Extended X-ray Absorption Fine Structure). Cyclic voltammograms and steady state polarization curves for the ORR were obtained using the rotating ring/disk electrode technique. The XANES results for the composites in the oxidized state have shown an increase of the occupancy of the Pt 5d band while the EXAFS analyses showed some reduction of the Pt-Pt interatomic distance in the different metal alloys compared to Pt/C. The electrochemical measurements indicated that the 4-electrons mechanism is mainly followed for the ORR in these platinum alloys. The highest electrocatalytic activity was shown by the Pt-V/C alloy, after treated at 850 ºC under hydrogen atmosphere.

Neste trabalho é feito um estudo do comportamento eletroquímico de eletrodos formados por pó de ligas de hidreto metálico do tipo AB5 com formulações LaNi(5-x)Zx, onde Z é um elemento metálico que substitui parcialmente o Ni, que inclui Sn, Al, Mn e Pd. No caso do Mn, algumas estruturas do tipo AB6 são também consideradas. A substituição de uma pequena fração do Ni pelo Al, Sn e Mn (x <FONT FACE=Symbol>@</FONT> 0.3) promove um aumento da capacidade de armazenamento de hidrogênio (CAH), enquanto que o Pd leva à um decréscimo desta propriedade. Em geral todas as ligas apresentam alta CAH inicial, mas exibem baixa estabilidade. Foi observado que a diminuição da pressão de equilíbrio de hidrogênio em função do teor de Mn, nas ligas AB5, relaciona-se diretamente com o aumento do volume da cela cristalina unitária. Através de experimentos de impedância eletroquímica nota-se um aumento significativo da cinética de reação de hidretação/desidretação com o aumento do número de ciclos de carga/descarga do eletrodo, devido ao aumento da área ativa. Também foi observado que, no geral, as ligas que apresentam maior CAH são aquelas que possuem menor energia de ativação para a reação de oxidação de hidrogênio.

This work reports studies on the electrochemical behavior of AB5-type hydrogen storage alloys, formed by LaNi(5-x)Zx, where Z is a metallic element partially replacing Ni, which included Sn, Al, Mn, and Pd. In the case of Mn, some AB6-type structures were also considered. Substitution of a small fraction of Ni by Al, Sn, and Mn (x <FONT FACE=Symbol>@</FONT> 0.3) leads to an increase of the hydrogen storage capability (HSC), while for Pd there is a decrease of this property. Generally all alloys presenting larger initial HSC exhibit lower stability. A decrease of the hydrogen equilibrium pressure as a function of Mn content is observed for the AB5 alloys and this is related to an increase of the crystalline unit cell volume. Electrochemical impedance measurements show a significant increase of the hydration/dehydration reaction kinetics due to a raise on the active area as a function of the charge/discharge cycle number. It is also seen that the alloys presenting larger HSC are those showing smaller activation energies for the hydrogen oxidation reaction.

Os efeitos das condições operacionais sobre as propriedades da membrana e dos eletrodos em uma célula a combustível de eletrólito polimérico são estudados em função da temperatura da célula e dos umidificadores dos gases, da espessura da membrana, da impregnação com ácido fosfotúngstico (AFW) e da variação dos conteúdos de Nafion e Teflon nos eletrodos de difusão de gás. Um aumento da resistência da membrana ocorre quando a célula opera em temperatura igual ou superior àquela de umidificação dos gases, sendo este efeito mais aparente para membranas mais espessas. Na presença de AFW, as propriedades da membrana não se alteram significativamente com a temperatura do conjunto. No entanto, neste caso, uma menor temperatura de umidificação dos gases reagentes prejudica o desempenho dos eletrodos. Variações no conteúdo de Nafion nos eletrodos não levam a nenhum efeito significativo sobre as propriedades do sistema. Para altos conteúdos de Teflon há uma pequena diminuição da condutividade da membrana.

The effects of the operational conditions on the membrane and electrode properties on a polymer electrolyte fuel cell (PEFC) were investigated as a function of the cell and the gas humidifiers temperatures, the thickness of the membrane, the impregnation with phosphotungstic acid (PWA), and the variation of the Nafion and Teflon contents in the gas diffusion electrodes. An increase of the membrane resistance was observed when the PEFC is operated at temperatures equal or higher than those of the gas humidifiers, and this is more apparent for thicker electrolyte films. In the presence of PWA, the physicochemical properties of the membrane do not appreciably change with temperature. However, in this case, a lower humidification temperature affects the electrode performance. Changes on the Nafion loading in the electrodes do not lead to any significant effect in the electrode and membrane properties. For high Teflon contents there is a small lowering of the membrane conductivity.

Este trabalho descreve a preparação e caracterização de ligas dispersas de Pt-Ru sobre carbono de alta área superficial, as quais foram avaliadas para a oxidação de CO em eletrodos de disco rotatório/camada fina porosa e para a oxidação de hidrogênio em células a combustível de eletrólito polimérico alimentadas com hidrogênio contendo 100 ppm de CO. Tratamentos térmicos (H2, 300 °C) aplicados aos catalisadores melhoram a tolerância a pequenas quantidades de CO e, em alguns casos, reduzem o potencial necessário para promover a oxidação de CO durante a varredura do potencial. Sob condições operacionais em uma célula a combustível na presença de CO, foi observado que os melhores resultados foram obtidos quando a liga Pt-Ru/C foi preparada por redução simultânea dos íons Pt (IV) e Ru (III), diferentemente da redução seqüencial.

This work describes the preparation and characterization of Pt-Ru alloys dispersed on high surface area carbon, which were evaluated for CO oxidation on thin porous coating rotating disk electrodes and for hydrogen oxidation on polymer electrolyte fuel cells fed with hydrogen containing 100 ppm CO. A thermal treatment (H2, 300 ºC) applied to the catalysts improves the tolerance to small quantities of CO and, in some cases, reduces the potential necessary to promote the CO oxidation during a linear potential scan. Under operational conditions in a fuel cell in the presence of CO it was observed that the best results were obtained when the Pt-Ru/C alloy was prepared by simultaneous reduction of the ions Pt (IV) and Ru (III), as opposed to a sequential reduction.

A oxidação eletroquímica do metanol foi estudada sobre ligas de Pt:Mo dispersa em carbono, preparadas utilizando um método recentemente desenvolvido neste laboratório. Análises de EDX confirmaram que a redução simultânea dos sais precursores de Pt e Mo conduzem a presença destes metais nas composições nominais inicialmente calculadas. A adição de Mo sobre Pt causa um aumento da corrente de oxidação, mas não produz um efeito catalítico para oxidação do metanol. A partir dos dados de polarização em várias concentrações de metanol foram obtidos diagramas de Tafel que apresentaram duas inclinações. A técnica de espectroscopia de massa diferencial aplicada "on line" a um experimento voltamétrico foi utilizada para investigar a distribuição de produtos e intermediários formados na oxidação de metanol.

The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on Pt:Mo dispersed on carbon prepared using an alternative method recently developed in this laboratory was investigated. The EDX analysis confirmed that the simultaneous reduction of the precursor salts of Pt and Mo leads to the presence of these materials at the nominal composition initially calculated. The addition of Mo to Pt causes an increase of the oxidation currents, but does not improve the catalytic effect for methanol oxidation. Tafel plots for various methanol concentrations showed the presence of two slopes. On line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry (DEMS) was used to investigate the distribution of products and intermediates in methanol oxidation.

The influence of acidity on the synthesis and redox behavior of polypyrrole films was studied using galvanostatic and potentiodynamic techniques employing aqueous solutions formed by H2SO4/Na2SO4 , HCl/NaCl and HCl/CsCl. The chemical structure of the films were investigated using the FTIR technique. The polymer behavior as a function of the pH used in the cyclic voltammetric measurements is explained in terms of the mechanism responsible for the charge compensation formed during the polymer chain oxidation. From the FTIR measurements, it is seen that the water nucleophilic attack during the synthesis, does not occur under the experimental conditions employed in this work.