Advanced, high perFoRmance and durable catalytIC layers for PEM fuel cells using non-carbon support mATerials.

Almost all of the worlds major automakers have pledged to release fuel cell vehicles during the next few years. Toyota launched their Mirai fuel cell sedan in Japan late 2014 and the first units was delivered to California and Europe in early 2015 and late 2015 respectively. Hyundai is also offering their ix35 fuel cell CUV and Honda has unveiled their FCV Clarity. In these latest version of fuel cells, around 30g of platinum catalyst is used or around four to five times more than what is used in the catalytic converters of new diesel vehicles. The cost of 30g platinum is about 10000 NOK, still too high for achieving competitive prices to advanced hybrid vehicles and the amount of platinum used have to be reduced to about 20-25% of the current amount. The AFRICAT project has helped to achieve this reduction by developing methods to create more stable catalyst supports based on tin oxide which makes the Pt catalyst more robust. Methods have been developed in a collaboration between researchers at SINTEF and Univeristy of Cape Town and the new materials being tested in fuel cells at both institutions. Efforts have been focused on developing scalable methods for the production of materials with the right size and composition and methods for making good fuel cells thereof. The electrocatalysts developed within Africat based on Pt supported on conductive oxide support have showed excellent durability in real fuel cell operation. However, the catalytic activity is not yet to the level of conventional fuel cell catalysts. Recently, a new synthesis methode has been developed at SINTEF, consisting in a one-pot synthesis of Pt and oxides using Fame Spray Pyrolysis. These supoorted catalysts have showned improved performance compared to other synthesis methodes. However, there are still a few remaning issues to be solved. Finally, the cooperation between SINTEF and UCT has continued to be excellent. Based on several visits to SINTEF, the master student (Thulile khoza) from UTC has decided to continue her research carrier and has been accepted as a PhD candiate at UTC. Furthermore, a new visit to SINTEF as part of her PhD work has already been planned for the end of this year/beginning of next. Thulile will be part of the research activitites of the FME-centre MoZEES and it is planned to invite UCT as an international collaborator. SINTEF has also invited reseracher Graham Smith from UTC for a visit in March to discuss future collaborations.

Reliable and sustainable energy supply for the future is a major reason for concern around the globe. Polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) are the leading option in moving towards efficient and environmental friendly energy conversion systems. Although PEFCs are one of the most promising and best developed alternative technologies, major advancements still need to be made before production at a commercially viable scale is possible. The two main challenges are durability and the cost related to the high amounts of platinum (Pt) required at the cathode to carry out the oxygen reduction reaction sufficiently fast. Research activities are therefore focused on developing catalysts and catalyst layers with higher stability and higher Pt utilization. The pre sent proposal aims to develop technology to prepare fuel cells with catalyst layers based platinum supported on inorganic materials. This type of catalysts has shown great promise as an alternative to typical Pt/C catalysts, however preparing catalyst lay ers with inorganic support materials remains a challenge. The project is divided in 4 workpackages. First the preparation of platinum supported on inorganic materials using different techniques will be evaluated. The best performing of these catalysts wi ll then be used to produce catalyst layers for lab-scale sized MEAs. This will require a thorough analysis of the ink characteristics when using inorganic materials. The resulting MEAs will then be tested for performance and durability. In the final workp ackage the best performing MEA will be prepared at tested in a commercially relevant size (200 sqcm) The goals set out in this proposal can only be reached by close collaboration of two groups already focused on related topics. In this partnership SINTEF and the HySA/Catalysis Centre of Competence at the University of Cape Town will combine strong research activities around electrochemistry and fuel cells.