Platinum-Free Catalysts for Alkaline Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

Abstract

Platinum is known as the best catalyst for fuel cells reactions, because it presents the best catalytic activity and stability, mainly in acidic media. However, due to the high cost of platinum and its lower availability, the development of platinum-free catalysts for Alkaline Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells has been proposed. This work aims to compare catalysts characteristics obtained from two different synthesis methods. Ni catalysts were obtained by the impregnation/reduction method and by electroless deposition. The morphology of the electro-catalysts obtained were characterized by SEM-EDS and the electrochemical behavior was evaluated by Cyclic Voltammetry. And the composition of the catalysts obtained by the impregnation/reduction method was analyzed by Rutherford Backscattering Spectroscopy. The results obtained showed that the catalyst elaborated by the impregnation/reduction method developed higher current densities values than the catalyst elaborated by electroless deposition.