Carbon supported Pt-based ternary catalysts for oxygen reduction in PEM fuel cells

Carbon supported platinum based ternary catalysts, namely, Pt(6)CuFe/C, Pt(6)AgCu/C and Pt(6)AgFe/C were prepared by the wet impregnation-reduction method in order to be used at the cathode of the PEM fuel cell. The catalysts were characterized by various techniques including N(2) physisorption, XRD, SEM, EDX and CV. N(2) physisorption analysis showed that the catalysts have surface areas varying between 152 and 166 m(2)/g. Estimated platinum mean particle sizes were between 3 and 4 nm according to the XRD data. Electrochemically active surface areas were evaluated by the hydrogen underpotential deposition method and Pt(6)AgFe/C was found to have the highest EAS with 557 cm(2)/mg(pt), and the highest mass activity with 29.1 mA/mg at 0.7 V. which is comparable to the mass activity of Pt/C. (c) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.