Improved Performance of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells with p-Toluenesulfonic Acid-Doped Co-PPy/C as Cathode Electrocatalyst

A novel catalyst, Co-PPy-TsOH/C, for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) was prepared by pyrolyzing cobalt salt and p-toluenesulfonic acid (TsOH)-doped polypyrrole-modified carbon support in an inert atmosphere. The characteristics and electrocatalytic activities of Co-PPy-TsOH/C were analyzed with various techniques. including Raman spectroscopy, elemental analysis, rotating ring disk electrode analysis, and a single H-2-O-2 PEWC, kind compared With those of undoped catalyst Co-PPy/C. The results showed that doping TsOH introduces larger N and S contents in Co-PPy-TsOH/C, leading to much better electrocatalytic performance for ORR than Co-PPy/C, and that Co-PPy-TsOH/C is more likely to follow, a four-electron-transfer reaction to reduce oxygen directly to H2O. The performance of PEMFCs with Co-PPy-TsOH/C as cathode catalyst is better than that with Co-PPy/C, and the resulting maximum output power density of 203 mW cm(-2) IS a substantial improvement over the best values reported in the literature with Co-PPy/C-based cathode catalyst. This implies that doping TsOH IS a valuable method to improve the catalytic activity of Co-PPy/C and that Co-PPy-TsOH/C is a promising cathode catalyst for PEMFCs. The Function and mechanism of doping have also been analyzed and the configurations of PPy-TsOH/C and Co-PPy-TsOH/C proposed.