Mechanistic Studies of Improving Pt Catalyst Stability at High Potential via Designing Hydrophobic Micro-Environment with Ionic Liquid in PEMFC

Recently, the focus of fuel cell technologies has shifted from light-duty automotive to heavy-duty vehicle applications, which require improving stability membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) at high constant potential. The hydrophilicity Pt makes it easy combine with water molecules and then oxidize potential, resulting in poor durability catalyst. In this work, an ionic liquid [BMIM][NTF2] was used modify catalyst (Pt/C + IL) create a hydrophobic, antioxidant micro-environment layer (CL). effect on decay CL performance potential (0.85 V) for long time investigated. It found that attenuation Pt/C IL high-potential range (OCV 0.75 less than commercial after 10 h. Pt-oxide coverage test showed hydrophobic enhanced by inhibiting oxidation. addition, electrochemical recovery oxides content recoverable higher Pt/C. Overall, modifying is effective strategy improve reduce irreversible voltage loss caused oxide