Claims
- 1. A method for fabricating a catalyst layer for a fuel cell, comprising:
preparing a catalyst material for either the electro-reduction or electro-oxidation reaction in the fuel cell; introducing a substance in the catalyst material, wherein the substance is insoluble in the catalyst material; and subsequently removing the insoluble substance from the catalyst material to increase a surface area of the catalyst material compared to the catalyst material prior to introducing and removing the substance.
- 2. The method as in claim 1, wherein the catalyst material comprises a catalyst of about 7-10 wt. %, perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid of about 60-70 wt. %, and polytetrafluoroethylene of about 15-20 wt. %.
- 3. The method as in claim 2 wherein the catalyst material is obtained by:
mixing the catalyst and the polytetrafluoroethylene in a diluted solution to form a mixture liquid; performing sonication to the mixture liquid; subsequently adding the perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid in a diluted solution to the mixture liquid to form a new mixture liquid; and performing sonication to the new mixture liquid.
- 4. The method as in claim 2, wherein the catalyst comprises platinum and ruthenium.
- 5. The method as in claim 1, wherein the insoluble substance is a surface active substance which prevents particle agglomeration and is volatilized at a high temperature.
- 6. The method as in claim 5, wherein the surface active substance is a non-ionic surfactant.
- 7. A method for fabricating a catalyst material for a fuel cell:
mixing a catalyst and a polytetrafluoroethylene in a diluted solution to form a mixture liquid; performing sonication to the mixture liquid; subsequently adding a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid in a diluted solution to the mixture liquid to form a new mixture liquid solution; performing sonication to the new mixture liquid solution; and placing dry ice into the new mixture liquid to evaporate the liquid portion without agglomeration and growth of particles to form a catalyst material.
- 8. The method as in claim 7, wherein the catalyst material comprises the catalyst of about 7-10 wt. %, the perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid of about 60-70 wt. %, and the polytetrafluoroethylene of about 15-20 wt. %.
- 9. A method for fabricating a catalyst material for a fuel cell:
mixing a catalyst and a polytetrafluoroethylene in a diluted solution to form a mixture liquid; performing sonication to the mixture liquid; subsequently adding a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid in a diluted solution to the mixture liquid to form a new mixture liquid solution; performing sonication to the new mixture liquid solution; and adding a gas through the new mixture liquid solution to cause bubbles to promote formation of a foam-type catalyst material.
- 10. The method as in claim 9, wherein the catalyst material comprises the catalyst of about 7-10 wt. %, the perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid of about 60-70 wt. %, and the polytetrafluoroethylene of about 15-20 wt. %.
- 11. The method as in claim 9, wherein the gas is an inert gas, nitrogen, or air.
- 12. A method for fabricating a catalyst material for a fuel cell, comprising:
mixing a catalyst of about 7-10 wt. %, a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid of about 60-70 wt. %, and a polytetrafluoroethylene of about 15-20 wt. % to form a catalyst material; and thermally quenching the catalyst material from a high temperature to a low temperature to activating the catalyst material.
- 13. The method as in claim 12, wherein the thermal quenching is performed in a liquid nitrogen to decrease the temperature from an ambient temperature to about 77K.
- 14. The method as in claim 12, wherein the catalyst comprises platinum and ruthenium with a relative percentage ratio from about 10 wt. % platinum and 90 wt. % ruthenium to about 90 wt. % platinum and 10 wt. % ruthenium.
- 15. A catalyst material for a fuel cell, comprising:
a catalyst comprising tungsten carbide; a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid; and a polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 16. The material as in claim 15, wherein said catalyst further includes ruthenium or ruthenium oxide.
- 17. The material as in claim 16, wherein said catalyst further comprises platinum.
- 18. A catalyst material for a fuel cell, comprising:
a catalyst comprising zirconium dioxide; a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid; and a polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 19. The material as in claim 18, wherein said catalyst further comprises platinum.
- 20. The material as in claim 19, wherein said catalyst further comprises ruthenium dioxide.
- 21. A catalyst material for a fuel cell, comprising:
a catalyst comprising zeolites incorporated with platinum and ruthenium; a perfluorovinylether sulfonic acid; and a polytetrafluoroethylene.
- 22. The material as in claim 21, wherein said catalyst further includes iridium in said zeolites.
- 23. The material as in claim 21, wherein said catalyst further includes osmium in said zeolites.
- 24. The material as in claim 21, wherein said catalyst further includes tungsten in said zeolites.
- 25. The material as in claim 21, further comprising an electrically-conductive carbon material.
Parent Case Info
[0001] This application is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/305,249 filed May 4, 1999, which is a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/827,319 filed Mar. 26, 1997 (now U.S. Pat. No. 5,945,231, issued Aug. 31, 1999). U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/827,319 claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/014,166 filed on Mar. 26, 1996. The disclosures of the prior applications are incorporated herewith in their entirety by reference.
Provisional Applications (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
|
60014166 |
Mar 1996 |
US |
Continuations (2)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09305249 |
May 1999 |
US |
Child |
10034094 |
Dec 2001 |
US |
Parent |
08827319 |
Mar 1997 |
US |
Child |
09305249 |
May 1999 |
US |