The Effect of the Stabilization and Carbonization Temperatures on the Properties of Microporous Carbon Nanofiber Cathodes for Fuel Cells on Polybenzimidazole Membrane

Materials based on pyrolyzed electrospun nanofiber polyacrylonitrile were studied by the method of standard contact porosimetry. An influence of oxidation and pyrolysis temperatures on specific surface area. It was shown that an increase of oxidation temperature from 300 to 350 degrees C and of pyrolysis temperature from 900 to 1000 degrees C leads to a decrease of pore specific surface area and to a decrease of a part of micropore specific surface area. Platinated samples showed sufficient values of electrochemically active platinum surface area (12-35 m(2) g(Pt)(-1)) and were tested as cathodes for high temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell. An increase in power density was found when a part of electrode micropore specific surface area was decreasing.