Platinum-rare earth cathodes for direct borohydride-peroxide fuel cells

Abstract

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is being actively investigated as an oxidant for direct borohydride fuel cells. Herein, platinum-rare earth (RE = Sm, Dy, Ho) alloys are prepared by arc melting and their activity for hydrogen peroxide reduction reaction (HPRR) is studied in alkaline media. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry measurements show that Pt-Sm electrode displays the highest catalytic activity for HPRR with the lowest activation energy, followed by Pt-Ho, while Pt-Dy alloys show practically no activity. Laboratory direct borohydride-peroxide fuel cells (DBPFCs) are assembled using these alloys. The DBPFC with Pt-Sm cathode gives the highest peak power density of 85 mW cm-2, which is more than double of that obtained in a DBPFC with Pt electrodes.