Claims
- 1. A cathode for use in a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell comprising:
- a substrate of electrically conductive tungsten bronze crystal of the formula A.sub.x WO.sub.3 where A is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium and cesium and x is at least 0.2 and a catalytic layer on the substrate wherein the alkali metal ions of the substrate have been replaced by platinum ions to form a platinum tungsten bronze of the formula Pt.sub.y WO.sub.3 where y is at least 0.5.
- 2. The electrode of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal is sodium.
- 3. The electrode of claim 2 wherein y is 0.8.
- 4. The electrode of claim 3 wherein the substrate and catalytic layer are a single crystal.
- 5. In combination with a hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell which includes an anode, a cathode and an acid electrolyte positioned therebetween and communicating with the anode and cathode, the improvement which comprises the cathode, wherein the cathode consists of a substrate of electrically conductive tungsten bronze crystal of the formula A.sub.x WO.sub.3 where A is an alkali metal selected from the group consisting of sodium, potassium, lithium, rubidium and cesium and x is at least 0.2, and a catalytic layer on the substrate wherein the alkali metal ions of the substrate have been replaced by platinum ions to form a platinum tungsten bronze having the formula Pt.sub.y WO.sub.3 where y is at least 0.5.
- 6. The combination with a fuel cell of claim 1 wherein the alkali metal is sodium.
- 7. The combination with a fuel cell of claim 6 wherein y is 0.8.
- 8. The combination with a fuel cell of claim 7 wherein the electrode is a single crystal.
CONTRACTUAL ORIGIN OF THE INVENTION
The invention described herein was made in the course of, or under, a contract with the UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY.
US Referenced Citations (3)