We have developed an eco-friendly method (a HF-free method) to synthesize mesoporous bio-carbon (MBC) using a bio-material, hemin, as the starting material and SBA-15 as the template. The MBC showed well-ordered hexagonal mesoporous structures with average pore size 3.5 nm, pore volume 0.35 cm3/g and BET surface area 530 m2/g. The catalytic activity of the MBC for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) was characterized with rotating disk electrode (RDE) and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE). The MBC catalyzes ORR by 4-electron reaction with high catalytic activity and stability, which is comparable to 40% Pt/C in both alkaline and acidic solutions. The high catalytic activity and excellent stability of the MBC catalyst obtained from the RDE experiments encouraged us to extend our research to polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. We have achieved a milestone progress for research on the non-noble metal catalyst for PEMFC. A series of single fuel cells were constructed and evaluated using the MBC as the cathode catalyst, 40% Pt/C as anode catalyst, and different polymer electrolyte membranes (alkaline and acidic). The single PEMFC using Nafion 211 membrane (acidic) showed peak power 360 mw/cm2 at 60 oC, and long term stability. More than 110 hours of life test was completed; and about 85% power retention for the PEMFC was achieved. This is the first time proof that non-noble metal catalyst can also be stabilized in the PEMFC (acidic). The single alkaline electrolyte membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) using the MBC as cathode catalyst, 40% Pt/C as the anode catalyst, and Tokuyama A201 membrane was also evaluated. The AEMFC showed peak power only 47 mw/cm2at 60 oC, whose catalytic activity was rapidly decreasing with time. The instability and poor performance of the AEMFC is attributed to the poor alkaline electrolyte membrane, instead of the MBC catalyst. In this presentation, we will detail the synthesis, characterization, RDE, RRDE, and single fuel cell (PEMFC and AEMFC) performances.

Eco-friendly synthesis of well-ordered mesoporous bio-carbon (MBC) as cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs)

254th National Meeting (2017)

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