Electrochemical Evaluation of Porous Non-Platinum Oxygen Reduction Catalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Fuel Cells

A porous non-platinum electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), obtained by pyrolysing a cobalt porphyrin precursor, was evaluated by electrochemical means. The reactivity of the non-platinum ORR catalyst was investigated with a rotating disc electrode (RDE) experimental set up RDE data were collected in an acidic electrolyte containing N-2, O-2, CO and under mixed reactant O-2/methanol conditions. The electrochemical performance of such-obtained non-platinum catalyst is discussed and compared to platinum-based ORR catalysts. Based on the results collected here, we are about to propose and test possible proton exchange fuel cell (PEFC) operating conditions where non-platinum ORR catalysts can be utilised. Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) data demonstrating a superior performance of the non-platinum catalyst relative to platinum black, often perceived as the state-of-the-art oxygen-reduction catalyst for the DMFC cathode is presented