High throughput screening of electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications

We describe methodologies for the generation and screening of combinatorial libraries of electrocatalyst materials for fuel cell applications, generated by cosputtering of three elements onto a Si substrate coated with a Ta adhesion underlayer. Screening was carried out via a fluorescence assay as well as by scanning electrochemical microscopy. Whereas the former provided rapid qualitative screening with limited spatial resolution, the latter provided high spatial resolution. The fluorescence screening method was tested on Pt, PtBi, PtPb, and PtRu nanoparticles, while both methods were tested on a film containing a Pt-Bi-Pb ternary composition spread. (c) 2006 American Institute of Physics.