Carbonized hemoglobin functioning as a cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Raw materials for producing polymer electrolyte fuel cells should be inexpensive and abundant in their resource in order to widely substitute this new energy system for conventional ones. In this study, a catalyst for the cathodic oxygen reduction was formed from hemoglobin, a large amount of which would be always available. The heat treatment in an inert atmosphere around 800 degrees C produced a carbonized material with highly developed nanospaces. The specific surface area reached 1005 m(2) g(-1) at the optimized carbonization conditions. The fundamental electrochemical properties were evaluated using rotating disk electrodes, forming a catalyst layer from the carbonized material with the polymer electrolyte on the electrode surface and immersing the layer in oxygen-saturated perchloric acid. We found that the carbonized materials were active toward oxygen reduction and the activity increased with the nanospace development, essential for exposing the active sites on the pore surface. The oxygen reduction behavior reflected the pore structure and iron content. A preliminary fuel cell test using the material in the cathode confirmed the current generation. Although the performance was inferior to a Pt-based fuel cell, the result suggested that it could be improved by structure modification and surface treatment of the material.