Xingwen Yu

PdBi/C and PtPb/C Bimetallic Catalysts for Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells

An efficient methodology for comparing anode catalysts for direct formic acid fuel cells (DFAFCs) by employing a multi-anode, liquid-fed fuel cell is presented. PdBi/C bimetallic catalysts synthesized by co-depositing Pd and Bi on Vulcan XC-72 carbon black, as well as PtPb/C bimetallic catalysts synthesized by depositing Pb on a Pt/C catalyst, were systematically studied in a multi-anode DFAFC. The PdBi/C catalysts showed higher stability than a commercial Pd/C catalyst, while addition of Pb significantly improved activity of the Pt/C catalyst. A surface-modified PtPb/C catalyst that exceeds the performance of Pd/C is reported.