|
Next-Generation DMFC Electrocatalyst Technology Drives out Cost while Solving Durability and Leaching Problems
 Conventional electrocatalysts are not up to challenges of commercializing DMFC products in the marketplace – the cost of typical Platinum-Ruthenium blacks is too high in $/watt terms and durability is inadequate.
Conventional unsupported PtRu black electrocatalysts have been used as DMFC anode catalysts widely in research and development because they can be loaded onto MEA at high loading (usually 4~6 mg/cm2) for high power density. However, at such a high loading, the actual catalyst utilization in a MEA is very low. Cost and long term durability are not priorities in R&D but are critical for product commercialization.
Cabot’s DMFC team has focused on breaking through these critical commercialization barriers by developing superior carbon supported anode catalysts. Our PtRu/C catalysts have unique aggregate morphology structure with small crystalline size, high degree of alloy and high dispersion of the active phase. Cabot's first generation of supported PtRu/C catalysts have the following features:
 • Higher catalyst activity and utilization. Because of highly dispersed PtRu crystals on high surface area carbon, Cabot's supported catalyst has a small crystalline size (3~4 nm) with excellent uniformity which results in high catalyst activity as well as high utilization in the MEA.
• Better durability. Cabot's PtRu/C catalysts are more durable than PtRu blacks which suffer from the Ru leaching problem under real-world DMFC operating conditions (resulting in Ru crossover to contaminate the cathode electrode, reducing power density).
• Lower cost. Cabot’s PtRu/C catalysts reduce precious metal loading by 50% while delivering excellent MEA performance and
The Cabot 1+1=3 Advantage
World-Class Electrocatalyst Technology Plus World-Class Carbon Technology
In addition to Cabot Fuel Cells' commercially available, Dynalyst® electrocatalysts, Cabot’s Fuel Cell group has R&D efforts, aimed at developing improved materials products for PEM and DMFC fuel cell applications. Cabot Fuel Cells employs proprietary technologies from throughout Cabot Corporation, including a proprietary spray conversion manufacturing and discovery platform for the production of electrocatalysts and a wide range of proprietary methods for the synthesis and production of specialty carbon support materials for fuel cells. Cabot Fuel Cells is located in Albuquerque, New Mexico, USA.
The Carbon Black Business is a world leader in the marketing of carbon black, an intensely black powder that is an indispensable agent for reinforcement, pigmentation, and conductivity in a broad range of products. These products are sold in five market sectors: tires, industrial products, plastics, inks and niches. With 24 plants in 18 countries, Cabot and its affiliated companies operate the world’s only global carbon black business.
Cabot Corporation is a global specialty chemicals and materials company headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. Cabot's major products are carbon black, fumed silica, inkjet colorants, capacitor materials, cesium formate drilling fluids, and aerogel materials. Cabot is also a leader in the production of fine, structured, sub-micron particles, comprising carbon, metals and metal oxides developed to enhance the performance of a variety of products, including rubber, adhesives, inks, microelectronics, and plastics. |
