Toward improving the performance of PEM fuel cell by using mix metal electrodes prepared by dual IBAD

Dual ion beam assisted deposition (IBAD) has been used to manufacture selected Pt-based alloy/mix (Pt-Co and Pt-Cr) electrode-catalysts by direct metallization of a standard E-TEK gas diffusion layer (GDL). Their kinetics for oxygen reduction reaction and their performance in a proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) are presented. Activity enhancement, normalized to surface area and mass activity, of 38.99 mA/cm(2) (Pt-Co) and 27.21 mA/cm(2) (Pt-Cr) are reported relative to an IBAD Pt electrode-catalyst. We report a significant new development in terms of materials and mass-manufacturability for PEMFC applications (c) 2005 The Electrochemical Society. [DOI:10.1149/1.2165571] All rights reserved.