Increased Stability of Palladium‐Iridium‐Gold Electrocatalyst for the Hydrogen Oxidation Reaction in Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Abstract

Abstract The development of non‐Pt hydrogen oxidation reaction catalysts for hydrogen‐fuelled polymer electrolyte fuel cells allows for an overall reduction in electrode Pt content and therefore helps reduce the cost of devices, one of the biggest commercial challenges. Herein, a novel ternary alloy catalyst supported on carbon, PdIrAu/C, has been synthesised, characterised and compared to the binary PdIr/C to show how the addition of Au improves the stability of the catalyst. Transmission electron microscopy was utilised to analyse electrode structure as a function of the synthesis method, showing the optimum annealing temperature, of those tested, to be 400 °C, while inductively‐coupled plasma mass spectrometry provided analysis of the degradation of the two catalysts, confirming the PdIrAu/C catalyst is more stable at potentials similar to those at a fuel cell anode than PdIr/C.