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In situ small-angle x-ray scattering analysis of improved catalyst—support interactions through nitrogen modification

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2012

Kevin N. Wood ,
Steven T. Christensen ,
Svitlana Pylypenko ,
Tim S. Olson ,
Arrelaine A. Dameron ,
Katherine E. Hurst ,
Huyen N. Dinh ,
Thomas Gennett  and
Ryan O'Hayre
Kevin N. Wood
Affiliation:
Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401
Steven T. Christensen
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Svitlana Pylypenko
Affiliation:
Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401
Tim S. Olson
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Arrelaine A. Dameron
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Katherine E. Hurst
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Huyen N. Dinh
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Thomas Gennett
Affiliation:
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Golden, Colorado 80401
Ryan O'Hayre*
Affiliation:
Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, Colorado School of Mines, Golden, Colorado 80401
*
Address all correspondence to Ryan O'Hayre atrohayre@mines.edu
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Abstract

In situ small-angle x-ray scattering (SAXS) is used to investigate the electrochemical durability of Pt-Metal (Pt-M) catalysts sputtered onto nitrogen-modified high surface area carbon powder. The results demonstrate that nitrogen modification promotes catalyst durability through reduction of nanoparticle dissolution and coarsening. Although particle sizes of Pt-M on high surface area carbon supports can be difficult to determine with transmission electron microscopy (TEM), a novel SAXS method has been employed to calculate particle size. SAXS analysis shows that the Pt-M nanoparticle size distribution remained stable for 3000 electrochemical cycles after nitrogen modification, whereas the unmodified support material leads to Pt-M nanoparticle instabilities. These results for industrial-relevant catalyst/support architectures underscore the potential of nitrogen-modified carbon support structures for enhanced Pt-M catalyst durability.

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Type
Research Letters
Information
MRS Communications , Volume 2 , Issue 3 , September 2012 , pp. 85 - 89
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2012

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