Method of enhancing electrodes

Abstract

One embodiment includes a method of forming a hydrophilic particle containing electrode including providing a catalyst; providing hydrophilic particles suspended in a liquid to form a liquid suspension; contacting said catalyst with said liquid suspension; and, drying said liquid suspension contacting said catalyst to leave said hydrophilic particles attached to said catalyst.

Claims

1. A product comprising: an electrode comprising: catalyst; and a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst.

2. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said catalyst comprises a noble metal.

3. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said catalyst comprises Pt.

4. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise hydroxyls bonded to a surface of each of said hydrophilic particles.

5. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise an oxide.

6. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic particles comprise silicon dioxide.

7. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said hydrophilic particles have a primary particle size of from about 1 nm to about 50 nm.

8. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said catalyst comprises a thin film catalyst comprising an exterior shell of particles having a dimension larger than said hydrophilic particles.

9. A product as set forth in claim 8, wherein said thin film catalyst comprises a plurality of whisker shaped particles wherein at least a shell of said whisker shaped particles comprises said thin film catalyst.

10. A product as set forth in claim 9, wherein said whisker shaped particles comprise a diameter of about 10 to about 250 nm and a length of about 100 nm to about 1 micron.

11. A product as set forth in claim 8, wherein said thin film catalyst is attached to a proton exchange membrane.

12. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises a fuel cell proton exchange membrane electrode.

13. A product as set forth in claim 12, wherein said electrode comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrode comprising a vehicle fuel cell.

14. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electrode comprises a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrode comprising a vehicle fuel cell wherein the thickness of the PEM electrode is less than 1 micron.

15. A product as set forth in claim 14, wherein the proton exchange membrane (PEM) has a membrane electrode area (MEA), and wherein the hydrophilic particles comprise silicon dioxide and wherein the hydrophilic particle loading on the catalyst is from about 1 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA to about 30 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.mEA.

16. A product as set forth in claim 15, wherein the proton exchange membrane (PEM) has a membrane electrode area (MEA), and wherein the hydrophilic particles have a surface roughness between about 20 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA and about 75 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA.

17. A product as set forth in claim 1, wherein the hydrophilic particles have surface areas of about 20 M.sup.2/g to about 250 M.sup.2/g.

18. A product comprising: an electrode comprising: catalyst; and a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst; wherein the hydrophilic particles have a size variation of less than 20 percent.

19. A product as set forth in claim 18 wherein the hydrophilic particles have a size variation of less than 10 percent.

20. A product comprising: an electrode comprising: catalyst; and a plurality of hydrophilic particles dispersed on said catalyst; wherein the hydrophilic particles are provided as a cladding.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Exemplary embodiments of the invention will become more fully understood from the detailed description and the accompanying drawings, wherein:

(2) FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of a PEM fuel cell, such as a vehicle fuel cell, according to the prior art.

(3) FIGS. 2A-2E show schematic diagrams an exemplary hydrophilic particles and hydrophilic particles on thin film catalysts according to exemplary embodiments.

(4) FIGS. 3A-3B show SEM micrographs of exemplary hydrophilic particles on whisker shaped thin film catalysts according to exemplary embodiments.

(5) FIG. 4 shows exemplary operational data of exemplary PEM electrode using exemplary hydrophilic particles on whisker shaped thin film catalysts under different humidity conditions.

(6) FIG. 5 shows an exemplary process flow to form a hydrophilic particle containing thin film catalyst electrode according to an exemplary embodiment.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS

(7) The following description of the embodiment(s) is merely exemplary (illustrative) in nature and is in no way intended to limit the invention, its application, or uses.

(8) In an exemplary embodiment, hydrophilic particles are provided dispersed on a catalyst where the catalyst forms at least a portion of an electrode. The catalyst may be supported or unsupported. The support may be any of a variety of materials including, but not limited to, carbon or metal oxide structures. The hydrophilic particles may include a hydrophilic surface that attracts and spreads water (allows water to move across the surface). In other exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic particles may be dispersed as primary particles and/or agglomerates of hydrophilic particles on the thin film catalyst. In another exemplary embodiment, the electrode may be a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell electrode, such as a vehicle fuel cell as shown in FIG. 1. In another exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalyst may include one or more noble metal catalyst. In another exemplary embodiment, the noble metal may include Pt or an alloy thereof.

(9) In an exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles may be provided in a range of particle sizes, but not limited thereto, which may vary over a primary particle size range of about 1 nm to about 100 nm, more preferably from about 5 nm to about 50 nm, even more preferably, from about 5 nm to about 30 nm. For example, the effective primary particle size may be expressed as volume average particle size or weight average particle size and may be determined by common methods including visually by a transmission electron microscope (TEM), measurement of surface area by gas e.g., N.sub.2 adsorption, or x-ray spectroscopy. In an exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles may have surface areas of about 20 M.sup.2/g to about 250 M.sup.2/g.

(10) In another exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles may be provided having a primary particle size which may be within a narrow range, e.g., where the size variation among particles is less than about 20 percent, more preferably less than about 10 percent. Referring to FIG. 2A, in other exemplary embodiments, the hydrophilic particles may be in any shape, including substantially spherical 12A or oval shaped 12B e.g., as well as polyhedral and/or flake-shaped, and may include agglomerates e.g., 14, as shown in FIG. 2B, made up of a plurality of agglomerated smaller particles, e.g., 14A, 14B, 14C, where the smaller particles are either partially bonded or held together by attractive physical forces.

(11) In an exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles may be an oxide, such as a metal oxide, including silicon oxide, titanium oxide, or derivative thereof. For example, the silicon dioxide hydrophilic particles may include hydroxyls (OH groups), e.g., both vicinal and isolated hydroxyls, bonded to the particle surface. The hydrophilic particles may be formed by any process, including chemical processes such as sol-gel processes and/or flame pyrolysis, and may be treated by known chemical processes to achieve desired hydrophilic properties including hydroxyls on the particle surface.

(12) Referring to FIG. 2C, in another exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles e.g., 16 may be provided as a cladding e.g., 16A of hydrophilic material at least partially surrounding a core of one or more second materials e.g., 16B, which may be a metal, and oxide, or an organic material. The hydrophilic particles may be isolated or agglomerated as shown in FIG. 2B.

(13) Referring to FIG. 2D, in another exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles e.g., 18 may have any shape including substantially spherical or oval and including one or more of the shapes/configurations shown in FIGS. 2A-2C and may be provided dispersed on the surface of a thin film catalyst e.g., 20A that may be a thin film or cladding of the thin film catalyst material surrounding a core of a second material 20B. In another exemplary embodiment the catalyst 24A may make up the entire particle. In addition, in other exemplary embodiments, the shape of the catalyst particle 20 may be any shape, including substantially spherical or oval shaped e.g., as shown in FIG. 2D, as well as polyhedral and/or flake-shaped as well as rod or whisker or rod shaped as shown below in FIG. 2E. In some embodiments, the hydrophilic particles e.g., 18 and/or the catalyst particles e.g., 20 may further be agglomerated into larger particle agglomerates, and may have a range of particle sizes. For example, in an exemplary embodiment, the catalyst particles e.g., 20 may have a primary particle size from of about 20 nm to about 1 micron and the hydrophilic particles e.g., 18, may have a primary particle size from of about 1 nm to about 100 nm, more preferably from about 1 nm to about 50 nm.

(14) Referring to FIG. 2E, in an exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles e.g., 31, are dispersed onto elongated or whisker shaped thin film catalyst 32A which may be provided covering a whisker shaped support 32B, which may be an organic material as is known in the art. In one exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalyst e.g., 32A may be a noble metal, such as a Pt or Pt alloy coated onto the whisker shaped substrate or support 32B. In another an exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalyst may have a noble metal or noble metal alloy loading of about 0.01 mg/cm2 to about 1 mg/cm.sup.2. Other suitable catalyst may include, but are not limited to, Pd or its alloy.

(15) In an exemplary embodiment, a plurality of the whisker shaped carbon supported thin film catalyst e.g., 32A, 32B may be attached to the surface of a substrate 30, such as a membrane of a proton exchange membrane (PEM) electrode, including a PEM electrode of a fuel cell, such as a vehicle fuel cell shown in FIG. 1. In an exemplary embodiment, the PEM may be fluorinated, partially fluorinated or non-fluorinated. In another exemplary embodiment, the thickness of the PEM electrode including the thin film catalyst may be less that 1 micron. In another exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalysts may be high aspect ratio particles such as the whisker shaped supported thin film catalyst e.g., 32A, 32B and may have a width of about 10 to about 100 nm and a length of about 200 to about 1000 nm.

(16) In an exemplary embodiment, the hydrophilic particles may be dispersed onto the thin film catalyst (e.g., 32A whiskers) by suspending the hydrophilic particles in a liquid, such as a polar or non-polar solvent, and contacting the electrode and/or thin film catalyst with the liquid suspension. In one exemplary embodiment, the liquid suspension of hydrophilic particles may be sprayed onto the thin film catalyst using conventional spray methods. In another exemplary embodiment, the liquid suspension of hydrophilic particles may be coated onto the thin film catalyst by contacting a rod covered with the suspension to the thin film catalyst surface. In another exemplary embodiment, liquid suspension of hydrophilic particles may be coated onto the thin film catalyst by forcing the liquid suspension through a slot positioned above and moved over the thin film catalyst surface. It will be appreciated that surface energy forces, including capillary forces may operate to draw the liquid suspension onto the thin film catalyst surface to thereby disperse the hydrophilic particles onto the thin film catalyst surface.

(17) In another exemplary embodiment, the liquid suspension of hydrophilic particles on the thin film catalyst may be allowed to dry to form the hydrophilic particles, e.g., 31 dispersed on the thin film catalyst surface. In an exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalyst with the dispersed hydrophilic particles may be attached to the electrode substrate e.g., PEM membrane 30, either before or following dispersing the hydrophilic particles onto the thin film catalyst surface. In another exemplary embodiment the thin film catalyst with the dispersed hydrophilic particles (e.g., whiskers 32A, 32B) may be hot-pressed onto the electrode substrate e.g., PEM membrane 30, by conventional methods.

(18) In an exemplary embodiment, the thin film catalyst with the dispersed hydrophilic particles (e.g., whiskers 32A, 32B) may be hot-pressed onto the electrode substrate e.g., PEM membrane 30, at a pressing pressure of about 100 psi to about 10000 psi and where the hot-pressing may be at a temperature of about 30 C to about 200 C.

(19) Referring to FIGS. 3A and 3B, in an exemplary embodiment, are shown scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of exemplary dispersed hydrophilic particles on a thin film whisker shaped catalyst. In FIG. 3A are shown SiO.sub.2 “beads” having a diameter of about 10 nm in FIG. 3A and in FIG. 3B are shown SiO.sub.2 “beads” having a diameter of about 30 nm. The whiskers shown are Nano-Structured Thin Film™ (NSTF) Pt containing catalyst (e.g., a PtMnCo alloy) available from 3M Company. The loading of the SiO.sub.2 particles on the thin film whisker shaped catalysts shown in FIGS. 3A and 3B is about 15 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA where the area cm.sup.2 is with respect to a membrane electrode area (MEA) to which the catalyst may be attached. In other exemplary embodiments, the SiO.sub.2 particle loading on thin film shaped catalysts including whisker shaped catalysts may be from about 1 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA, to about 30 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA.

(20) In addition, a surface roughness (surface area) may be defined for the hydrophilic particles dispersed on a thin film catalyst with respect to the area of a membrane electrode area (MEA). In FIGS. 3A and 3B the surface roughness may respectively be about 53 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA and about 26 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA. In other exemplary embodiments, the surface roughness (surface area) of hydrophilic particles (e.g., SiO.sub.2 particles) on thin film shaped catalysts including whisker shaped catalysts may be from about 20 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA to about 75 cm.sup.2/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA.

(21) Referring to FIG. 4, in an exemplary implementation of embodiments, is shown a measured normalized resistance (HFR) 50 or Voltage 52 vs. current density for membrane electrodes including SiO.sub.2 loaded (15 micrograms/cm.sup.2.sub.MEA on cathode only) and unloaded (without SiO.sub.2) NSTF whisker shaped thin film Pt alloy catalysts under different relative humidity (RH) conditions at about 80° C. For example, it is seen that under drier conditions, e.g., 70% RH versus 100% RH, that a significant decrease in performance for the unloaded electrodes (without SiO.sub.2 particles) occurs (e.g., lower Voltage at higher current density as indicated by arrow showing change from curve A to B). In contrast, the 10 nm SiO.sub.2 loaded electrodes show significantly improved performance under similar drier conditions as indicated by arrow showing change from curve C to D.

(22) While not bound by any particular theory of operation, it is believed that the SiO.sub.2 hydrophilic particles act to attract water and spread water to the thin film catalyst surface thereby improving proton (or adsorbed species) conduction via the surface transport mechanism, resulting in improved accessibility to and utilization of the catalyst surface under lower operating relative humidity.

(23) Among the advantages of several embodiments, is the improved performance of electrodes, e.g., PEM electrodes, such as used in fuel cells, including vehicle fuel cells where dry operating environments may be frequently encountered.

(24) Referring to FIG. 5 is a process flow diagram including several exemplary embodiments. In step 501, a thin film catalyst is provided. In step 503 a liquid with a suspension of hydrophilic particles is provided. In step 505 the thin film catalyst surface is contacted with the liquid suspension of hydrophilic particles. In step 507, the liquid suspension contacting the thin film catalyst is dried to leave hydrophilic particles adhered to the surface of the thin film catalyst. In optional step 509, the thin film catalyst and hydrophilic particles may be hot pressed including onto a substrate.

(25) The above description of embodiments of the invention is merely exemplary in nature and, thus, variations thereof are not to be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the invention.