Boosting the Performance of Low-Platinum Fuel Cells via a Hierarchical and Interconnected Porous Carbon Support

Abstract

The design of a low-platinum (Pt) proton-exchange-membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) can reduce its high cost. However, the development of a low-Pt PEMFC is severely hindered by the high oxygen transfer resistance in the catalyst layer. Herein, a carbon with interconnected and hierarchical pores is synthesized as a support for the low-Pt catalyst to lower the oxygen transfer resistance. A H₂-air fuel cell assembled by Pt/hierarchical porous carbon shows 1610 mW/cm² peak power density, 2230 mA/cm² current density at 0.60 V, and only 18.4 S/m local oxygen transfer resistance with 0.10 mg_Pt/cm² Pt loading at the cathode, which far exceeds those of various carbon black supports and commercially used Pt/C catalysts. Both the experimental and simulation results have shown the advancement of hierarchical pores toward the high efficiency of oxygen transportation.