PtCu3 nanoalloy@porous PWOx composites with oxygen container function as efficient ORR electrocatalysts advance the power density of room-temperature hydrogen-air fuel cells
Rui Chen, Tie Shu, Fengling Zhao, Yongfei Li, Xiaotong Yang, Jingwei Li, Daliang Zhang, Li‐Yong Gan, Kexin Yao, Qiang Yuan
Abstract
It is challenging and desirable to construct Pt-based nanocomposites with oxygen storage function as efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts for practical proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Herein, we achieve novel porous nanocomposites of PtCu3 nanoalloys-embedded in the PWOx matrix (PtCu3@PWOx), which has an oxygen container feature. The PtCu3@PWOx/C exhibits an ultrahigh mass activity (MA) of 3.94 A·mgPt−1 for ORR, which is 26.3 times as high as the commercial Pt/C and the highest value ever reported for PtCu-based binary system. Theoretical calculations reveal that the compressive strain and d-band center downshift of Pt intrinsically contribute to the excellent ORR performance. In H2-air PEMFCs at room temperature, furthermore, the PtCu3@PWOx/C delivers a high power density (218.6 mW·cm−2), much superior to commercial Pt/C (131.6 mW·cm−2). In H2-O2 PEMFCs, PtCu3@PWOx/C outputs a maximum power density of 420.1 mW·cm−2. This work provides an effective idea for designing oxygen-storing ORR catalysts used for practical room-temperature H2-air fuel cells.