単層カーボンナノチューブの混合によるPEFC用白金系電極触媒層の性能改善

抄録

It is possible that the mixture of single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) with high crystallinity and narrow diameter improve the catalyst layer performance of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC). In this study, Pt-based catalysts mixed with SWCNTs are prepared as the electrocatalysts for PEFC. The electrochemical properties of the catalyst layer mixed with SWCNTs were investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) under difference scanning conditions. The catalyst layers with SWCNTs showed significantly high electrochemical surface area (ECSA) under the high scanning rate on CV compared with the catalyst layer without SWCNTs. It was found that SWCNTs in the catalyst layer had a bundle structure and the bundles increased gaps between carbon supports used for Pt-based catalysts. SWCNT bundles contributed as conductive paths inside of the catalyst layers and improved porous structures in the catalyst layers. The improvement of the porous structures increased Pt nanoparticles functioned as the catalyst. Therefore, the mixture of SWCNTs leaded to improve the catalyst layer performance.