platinum free electrotalysts for H2/O2 alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFCs)

H2/O2alkaline membrane fuel cells (AMFC) are a new form of fuel cell which employs an anion exchange polymer electrolyte. The alkaline environment has several advantages with respect to the traditional Proton Exchange Membranes FCs (PEMFC) acidic environment, e.g. much faster oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics at the cathode. Faster kinetics are the key to obtaining reasonable current densities with a lower catalyst metal loading respect to traditional Pt based catalysts employed in PEMFCs. The alkaline environment also allows for the replacement of expensive platinum based catalysts with cheaper and more available non-noble metal based catalysts (due to stability of non noble metals in alkaline environments), especially on the cathode side. For this reason, we have tested a series of highly active catalysts for ORR in alkaline environment, based on iron and cobalt phthalocyanines, on the cathode side of AMFCs. On the anode side a palladium-ceria based catalyst is investigated, this catalyst is a very efficient anodic catalyst when employed in alkaline direct alcohol fuel cells. For the first time we present an example of a completely "platinum free" H2/O2 alkaline fuel cell. Results are compared with a traditional Platinum based AMFC