PEM fuel cell applications of doped (Ni, Zr) metal alloyed Pt/C cathode catalysts

This investigation reported the performance of PEMFC cathode electrocatalysts produced from platinum, zirconium, and nickel alloys with varying atomic ratios. XRD, SEM, and EDX analyses were performed to investigate the structural and morphological properties of the synthesized catalysts. The studies evaluated electrochemical properties, specifically the ORR and the ECSA activity. Based on XRD data, the average crystallite diameters of Pt/C, PtZr₂/C, and PtZr₂Ni/C catalysts were calculated to be 4.95 nm, 4.33 nm, and 3.35 nm, respectively. Pt/C, PtZr₂/C, and PtZr₂Ni/C catalysts were used as cathode electrocatalysts in a single cell, and polarization curves were generated for each catalyst at temperatures of 40 °C, 50 °C, 60 °C, and 70 °C, respectively. It was determined that the PtZr₂Ni/C and PtZr₂/C catalysts had better performance than the Pt/C catalyst. Ozone, a powerful oxidizing agent, is another strategy for enhancing the cathodic process. The activity of PtZr₂Ni/C catalyst used as cathode electrocatalyst increased with increasing cell temperature in both H₂/O₂ and H₂/O₃ usage, and the power density values at 70 °C cell temperature were calculated as 165.87 mWcm⁻² and 242.08 mWcm⁻², respectively. Graphical Abstract: (Figure presented.)