Conducting carbon/polymer composites as a catalyst support for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

Carbon/poly(3,4-ethylene dioxythiophene) (C/PEDOT) composites are synthesized by in situ chemical oxidative polymerization of EDOT monomer on carbon black in order to decrease carbon corrosion that occurred in carbon-supported catalysts used in proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The effects of different dopants including polystyrene sulfonic acid, p-toluenesulfonic acid and camphorsulfonic acid with the addition of ethylene glycol or dimethyl sulfoxide on the properties of the composites are investigated. The synthesized composites are characterized by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis, surface area analysis and scanning electron microscope. Electrical conductivity is determined by using the four-point probe technique. Electrochemical oxidation characteristics of the synthesized C/PEDOT composites are investigated by cyclic voltammetry by applying 1.2V for 24h. The composite prepared at 25°C with p-toluenesulfonic acid and ethylene glycol shows the best carbon corrosion resistance. Platinum-supported catalyst by using this composite was prepared using microwave irradiation technique, and it was seen that the prepared catalyst did not significantly lose its hydrogen oxidation and oxygen reduction reaction activities after electrochemical oxidation. © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.