The progress beyond the state of the art was achieved. On fundamental research, two novel processes, i.e. Pt nanoparticles (Pt seeds) in carbon matrix and wet-chemically synthesis under applied potentials, were developed and investigated on Pt nanowire (Pt-NW) growing and the electrode microstructure. The optimal novel cathode with Pt loading of 0.205 mgPt cm-2 has comparable performance to the commercial gas diffusion layer (GDE) with 0.4 mgPt cm-2. A technology for preparing the Pt-nanowire electrodes with active area 100cm2 was developed, and for the first time a prototype stack with 10-cells was assembled and preliminary tested. Finally, modelling and evaluation of energy, CO2 emission and economics for a PEMFC CHP system for application in an eco-house at University of Nottingham were carried out based on our previous Pt-nanowire electrode results. The PEMFC CHP system, serving as high global efficiency “heat and power” autonomy and backup power for emergency, operates in a load following mode with power generating on demands. The PEMFC mCHP system can reduce annual CO2 emission up to 65.99% and and bill cost to 66.74% compared with the base case scenario.
Fig. 1 showed Pt-NWs growth in the carbon matrix that a Pt-NW electrode was made. Fig. 2 presents illustration of how a fuel cell stack is prepared from carbon powder to Pt-NW electrode. Different from conventional electrode from Pt/C catalyst, Pt-NW electrode is made of carbon powder + Pt precursor, not of Pt/C catalyst, hence all Pt-NWs accessible to Oxygen and are controllable in microstructure. The Pt-NW electrode is used to prepare Membrane Electrode Assemblies (MEA), and finally MEAs are integrated into a fuel cell stack.
