Coplanar Pt/C Nanomeshes with Ultrastable Oxygen Reduction Performance in Fuel Cells

Abstract

Developing highly stable and efficient catalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction is important for the long-term operation in proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Reported herein is a facile synthesis of two-dimensional coplanar Pt-carbon nanomeshes (NMs) that are composed of highly distorted Pt networks (neck width of 2.05±0.72 nm) and carbon. X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy demonstrated the metallic state of Pt in the coplanar Pt/C NMs. Fuel cell tests verified the excellent activity of the coplanar Pt/C NM catalyst with the peak power density of 1.21 W cm^-2 and current density of 0.360 A cm^-2 at 0.80 V in the H₂ /O₂ cell. Moreover, the coplanar Pt/C NM electrocatalysts showed superior stability against aggregation, with NM structures preserved intact for a long-term operation of over 30 000 cycles for electrode measurement, and the working voltage loss was negligible after 120 h in the H₂ /O₂ single cell operation. Density-functional theory analysis indicates the increased vacancy formation energy of Pt atoms for coplanar Pt/C NMs, restraining the tendency of Pt dissolution and aggregation.