AUTHOR=Xin Le , Zhang Zhiyong , Wang Zhichao , Qi Ji , Li Wenzhen 

TITLE=Carbon supported Ag nanoparticles as high performance cathode catalyst for H2/O2 anion exchange membrane fuel cell

JOURNAL=Frontiers in Chemistry

VOLUME=1

YEAR=2013

URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/chemistry/articles/10.3389/fchem.2013.00016

DOI=10.3389/fchem.2013.00016

ISSN=2296-2646

ABSTRACT=<p>A solution phase-based nanocapsule method was successfully developed to synthesize non-platinum metal catalyst—carbon supported Ag nanoparticles (Ag/C). XRD patterns and TEM image show Ag nanoparticles with a small average size (5.4 nm) and narrow size distribution (2–9 nm) are uniformly dispersed on the carbon black Vulcan XC-72 support. The intrinsic activity and pathway of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on the Ag/C and commercial Pt/C were investigated using rotating ring disk electrode (RRDE) tests at room temperature. The results confirmed that the 4-electron pathway of ORR proceeds on small Ag nanoparticles, and showed comparable ORR activities on the self-prepared Ag/C and a commercial Pt/C. A single H<sub>2</sub>-O<sub>2</sub> anion exchange membrane fuel cell (AEMFC) with the Ag/C cathode catalyst exhibited an open circuit potential of 0.98 V and a peak power density of 190 mW/cm<sup>2</sup> at 80°C.</p>