Platinum- and Platinum Alloy-Coated Palladium and Palladium Alloy Particles and Uses Thereof

Brookhaven National Laboratory

Publications:

Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells - Accelerating Innovation Webinar Presentation - June 2012 (1,907 KB)

Schematic cross-section of a palladium nanoparticle coated with a monolayer of platinum

Technology Marketing Summary

Platinum is an excellent catalyst for many reactions. However, it is also very expensive. The catalytic activity per gram of platinum can be increased by using a particle composite consisting of an atomically thin layer of the metal on a palladium alloy particle. When used as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction, this structure exhibits up to twenty times the platinum mass catalytic activity of commercially available platinum/carbon electrocatalysts. These structures can be used in fuel cells and other electrocatalytic or heterogeneous catalytic applications.

Description

A particle composite is made of a palladium alloy particle coated with an atomically thin layer of platinum. The layer may be a sub-monolayer up to about three monolayers thick. The palladium alloy may be homogeneous or heterogeneous. The mass catalytic activity for platinum in these composites for electrocatalysis of the oxygen reduction reaction is about 0.57 A/mg at 0.9 V. Stability in a fuel cell environment has been demonstrated for more than 3,000 hours. After 100,000 cycles the reactivity is reduced by only about 37%.

BenefitsThe platinum/palladium alloy particle composite offers high catalytic activity at lower cost than bulk platinum/carbon catalysts.Applications and IndustriesFuel cell catalysts; replacement for platinum/carbon catalysts and electrocatalysts; heterogeneous catalysis.More Information

Sasaki, et al., “Core-Protected Platinum Monolayer Shell High-Stability Electrocatalysts for Fuel-Cell Cathodes,” Angewandte Chemie Intl. Ed. 49, 8602 (2010) http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/anie.201004287/full

Press Release

Patents and Patent Applications

ID Number	Title and Abstract	Primary Lab	Date
Patent 7,691,780	Platinum-and platinum alloy-coated palladium and palladium alloy particles and uses thereof The present invention relates to particle and nanoparticle composites useful as oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts. The particle composites are composed of a palladium or palladium-alloy particle or nanoparticle substrate coated with an atomic submonolayer, monolayer, bilayer, or trilayer of zerovalent platinum atoms. The invention also relates to a catalyst and a fuel cell containing the particle or nanoparticle composites of the invention. The invention additionally includes methods for oxygen reduction and production of electrical energy by using the particle and nanoparticle composites of the invention.	Brookhaven National Laboratory	04/06/2010 Issued

Technology Status

Technology ID	Development Stage	Availability	Published	Last Updated
BSA 04-27	Prototype	Available	04/01/2011	07/02/2012

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To:	Kimberley Elcess<elcess@bnl.gov>
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