Method for producing a noble metal-free catalyst, a noble metal-free catalyst, a fuel cell and a motor vehicle

Abstract

A method for producing a noble metal-free catalyst comprises providing a catalyst support comprising organic heterocycles as catalyst, and applying an oxidation-inhibiting protective layer. Embodiments further relate to a noble metal-free catalyst, a fuel cell, and a motor vehicle.

Claims

1. A method for producing a catalyst free of noble metal, comprising; providing a catalyst support comprising organic heterocycles; and applying an oxidation-inhibiting protective layer to the catalyst support, wherein the protective layer is formed of a material selected from a group consisting of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2, and SnO.sub.2, and wherein the protective layer is applied with atomic layer deposition.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the protective layer is applied with a layer thickness between 1 nm and 50 nm.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the catalyst support is formed by a carbon support which is stabilized before application of the catalyst.

4. The method according to claim 3, wherein stabilization is carried out by graphitization and/or by coating with Al.sub.2O.sub.3, TiO.sub.2 or SnO.sub.2.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) Further advantages, features, and details are provided in the claims, the following description, and the drawings.

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of the application of an oxidation-inhibiting protective layer of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 to a catalyst support comprising organic heterocycles as catalyst.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(3) FIG. 1 schematically shows a catalyst support 1 formed by a carbon support and carrying organic heterocycles as a noble metal-free catalyst. In this, an oxidation-inhibiting protective layer 2 is applied by means of atomic layer deposition, which in the embodiment example shown is formed by Al.sub.2O.sub.3, alternatively, other oxidation-inhibiting protective layers 2 are also possible such as: TiO.sub.2, SnO.sub.2. The protective layer 2 is applied with a layer thickness that is between 1 nm and 50 nm, so that this oxidation-inhibiting protective layer 2 results in protection against oxidative attack both from the organic heterocycles and the catalyst support 1.

(4) Alternatively, it is also possible that a physical deposition method such as a plasma method is used to apply the protective layer 2.

(5) As an alternative, there is also the possibility of stabilizing the catalyst support 1 formed by a carbon support prior to the application of the noble metal-free catalyst, namely by graphitization or by a coating with Al.sub.2O.sub.3 and/or TiO.sub.2 and/or SnO.sub.2.

(6) This method provides a noble metal-free catalyst which has a significant cost advantage over noble metal-containing catalysts and a significantly extended service life compared to other noble metal-free catalysts, so that its use is particularly suitable in fuel cells and these in turn in motor vehicles.

(7) In general, in the following claims, the terms used should not be construed to limit the claims to the specific embodiments disclosed in the specification and the claims, but should be construed to include all possible embodiments along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.