The electrochemical activity and durability of Pt nanoparticles on different kinds of carbon supports in oxygen reduction reactions (ORR) were investigated using rotating disc electrodes (RDE) and the membrane electrode assemblies (MEA) of polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC). The mass activity of Pt/C catalysts (ORR activity per 1 mg of Pt) at the RDE decreased, according to the type of carbo...

Applications of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEM-FCs) require a continued search for an optimal catalyst with attributes of high activity, durability, low cost, and resistance to negative effects of impurities in the fuel. Platinum-based bimetallic catalyst systems are widely utilized in PEM-FCs because of their good performance in both the cathode and the anode. Alloying with inexp...

Fuel cell technology is a potentially clean alternative to traditional power sources, in particular for the automotive industry [1]. The widespread usability is limited by the high cost of the Pt cathode catalyst [2]. Numerous studies therefore focus on finding cheaper alternative catalysts with higher efficiency for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) [3]. Bimetallic catalysts are known for th...

Platinum-based materials are accepted as the suitable electrocatalysts for anodes and cathodes in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Nonetheless, the increased demand and scarce world reserves of Pt, as well as some technical problems associated with its use, have motivated a wide research focused to design Pd-based catalysts, considering the similar properties between this metal and Pt. In th...

Nanopalladium catalysts can be synthesized by the precipitation of palladium (Pd) on the surface of bacteria leading to the production of biogenic Pd nanoparticles (bio-Pd). For example, Shewanella oneidensis can reduce Pd(II) and subsequently precipitate it as Pd(0) nanocrystals on their cell wall and in their periplasmic space when a hydrogen donor is provided (De Windt et al., 2005). No expe...

The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is the oldest studied and most challenging of the electrochemical reactions. Due to its sluggish kinetics, ORR became the major contemporary technological hurdle for electrochemists, as it hampers the commercialization of fuel cell (FC) technologies. Downsizing the metal particles to nanoscale introduces unexpected fundamental modifications compared to the co...

We have developed an implantable fuel cell that generates power through glucose oxidation, producing 3.4 μW cm(-2) steady-state power and up to 180 μW cm(-2) peak power. The fuel cell is manufactured using a novel approach, employing semiconductor fabrication techniques, and is therefore well suited for manufacture together with integrated circuits on a single silicon wafer. Thus, it can help e...

One of the greatest challenges for using microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for wastewater treatment is creating a scalable architecture that provides large surface areas for oxygen reduction at the cathode and bacteria growth on the anode. We demonstrate here a scalable cathode concept by showing that a tubular ultrafiltration membrane with a conductive graphite coating and a nonprecious metal cataly...

We report a Pd-Co (3:1)/graphene oxide (Pd3Co /GO) catalyst through a one-step strategy. GO is synthesized from graphite electrodes using ionic liquid-assisted electrochemical exfoliation. Controllable GO-supported Pd3Co electrocatalystis then was reduced by ethylene glycol as a stabilizing agent to prepare highly dispersed PdCo nanoparticles on carbon graphene oxide to be used as oxygen reduct...