Nanostructured Pt/WO<sub>x</sub>-C Solids as Electrocatalyst for PEMFC

Platinum nanoparticles supported on high surface area carbon black (e.g., Vulcan XC-72) are the most commonly used catalysts for both cathode and anode in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), however, some other catalysts such as Pt/MoOx and Pt/WOx are also considered promising, due to their higher activity, stability and enhanced CO tolerance. This work is focused on the synthesis and characterization of nanostructured Pt/WOx-C as both cathode and anode electrocatalysts for PEMFCs. The Pt deposit on the surface of the support is a crucial step in the synthesis of the catalytic materials. Because of this, different synthesis methods were probed in order to find the conditions for the higher dispersion and accessibility of Platinum over the WOx-C support and to improve the PEMFC cathode stability. The catalysts were prepared by UV and ultrasound assisted approaches, and characterized by Transmission Electron Microscopy as well as lineal and cyclic voltammetry.