Carbon nanotube and carbon black supported platinum nanocomposites as oxygen reduction electrocatalysts for polymer electrolyte fuel cells

Pt supported on a binary support of multi-walled carbon nanotube (CNT) and carbon black (CB) with different ratio of CNT and CB (Pt/CNT-CB) has been prepared by reducing H2PtCl6 with ethylene glycol. Pt/CNT-CB (CNT/CB = 50/50. 80/20), Pt/CB and Pt/CNT have been used as electrocatalysts for cathode in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFC). In the low current density region, the cathode with a CNT/CB ratio of 50/50 shows the best performance as compared to CNT based catalyst. Whereas in the high current density region, the cathode with a CNT/CB ratio of 80/20 exhibits the best performance.