Characterization of different Pt/Metal/Complex catalysts as anode catalysts for the PEM fuel cell

Different Pt/Me/Pc and Pt/Me/Complex catalysts (with Me=Metal: Co, Ni, and Pc=phthalocyanine) were synthesized by an impregnation method. A commercially available platinum catalyst purchased from E-TEK. was impregnated with solutions of cobalt phthalocyanine (CoPc) and nickel phthalocyanine tetrasulfonic salt (NiPc). After the reaction, part of the catalyst was heat treated at 700degreesC under nitrogen atmosphere. The resulting catalysts were structurally and electrochemically characterized before (Pt/Me/Pc) and after heat treatment (Pt/Me/Complex). The Pt/Me/Pc had an average particle size of about 3 nm, while the average size after heat treatment increased to about 7nm. The composition of the different catalysts was about 80 at% platinum and 20at of the second metal (Co or Ni), and was verified with EDXS. In single fuel cell tests the best electrocatalytic activity was observed for the Pt/Ni/Complex system.