A polymer-coated carbon black-based fuel cell electrocatalyst with high CO-tolerance and durability in direct methanol oxidation

Abstract

The design and fabrication of a highly durable and carbon monoxide (CO) tolerant catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) is highly required since the DMFCs are promising power sources in the near future. Here we describe the finding that a fuel cell catalyst composed of carbon black, poly[2,2′-(2,6-pyridine)-5,5′-bibenzimidazole] and platinum that was coated by a polymer acid, poly(vinylphosphonic acid), shows a high durability and CO tolerance in the methanol oxidation reaction, which has been revealed by electrochemical methods together with a transmission electron microscopy study.