Development of Electrodes for fuel cells Pt-free load

Resumen

Direct methanol fuel cells, DMFCs, have a great interest due to their applications in the development of devices for portable energy applications due to their ability to produce electricity using methanol as fuel. These systems are environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, the methanol crossover from the anode to the cathode through the electrolytic membrane, the poisoning of the catalyst and the cost of these systems are some of the problems. One of the responsible of the high cost of these systems is the use of platinum, Pt, for the development of the electrodes. The objective of this work is to develop catalysts Pt-free. Materials based on FeCo solid solutions are synthesized by the combustion method and characterized for their further application as anode catalysts in DMFC. In addition, a post-treatment in reactive environments has been carried out the aim of improving the metal solution. The prepared materials have been morphological, structural and electrochemically characterized to test their activity towards methanol oxidation. Further, the catalytic layer composition has been designed to prepare electrodes by spray, in such a way that the slurry can be homogeneously sprayable on the surface of the carbon paper gas diffusion layer. The catalyst and electrodes have been studied to know if they are good candidates as anode of DMFCs, and to modify the synthesis and/or the different processes to improve their activity.