Development of High Performance Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cell Using Hyper Branched Polymer as a Catalyst Stabilizer

Abstract

A hyperbranched polymer was used as a catalyst stabilizer for use in a direct formic acid fuel cell, DFAFC, to obtain a high performance with a low catalyst loading. The catalyst ink was prepared by the mixing of Pd nanoparticles stabilized by a hyper branched polymer (H-Pd) and carbon black, which was then calcinated at 300 °C and 500 °C in flowing nitrogen to investigate the effect of the stabilizer residual on the catalytic activity for the formic acid oxidation. It was found that the catalytic activity of the H-Pd was 6 times higher than that of Pd black with a 500 °C calcination. In this condition, a cluster of Pd nanoparticles was observed. By using this catalyst as an anode catalyst of the DFAFC, a 6 times higher power density could be obtained compared to the case using Pd black.

Key findings

• ▸The catalytic activity of H-Pd was 6 times higher than that of Pd black with a 500 °C calcination.
• ▸A cluster of Pd nanoparticles was observed after calcination.
• ▸Using H-Pd as an anode catalyst resulted in a 6 times higher power density compared to Pd black.

Keywords

Identifiers

DOI

10.1149/05002.1951ecst

Journal

ECS Transactions

Year

2013