Novel CO Tolerant Anode Catalysts for PEFC Based on Platinum and Organic Metal Complexes

A series of new CO tolerant anode catalysts for reformate type polymer electrolyte fuel cells are proposed that are superior to state-of-the-art Pt-Ru metal alloy catalysts. Composite catalysts based on platinum and metal complex were fabricated by a new procedure where carbon supported platinum precursor and nitrogen containing organic metal complex were heat-treated in Ar atmosphere at temperatures from 300 to 600°C (abbreviated as Pt-M(complex)/C). Catalysts were loaded on a carbon paper and hot pressed on one side of Nafion 115 membrane (half-MEA), and CO tolerance tests were conducted in the anode half-cell at 70oC with H2 containing various levels of CO. Also single fuel cell performance was measured with full MEA in H2(CO) and Air gas flowing at the anode and cathode chambers. Compared with commercial Pt-Ru/C catalysts, new class of anode catalysts Pt-M(complex)/C proved to be very promising both in initial and long term performances, also in view of a wide variety of molecular designing and the low cost of the organic complexes synthesized.