HIGH-PERFORMANCE ELECTRODES WITH VERY-LOW PLATINUM LOADING FOR POLYMER ELECTROLYTE FUEL-CELLS

Research and development on low platinum loading electrode is very imp ortant in reducing the capital cost of fuel stack and conserving limit ed Pt resources. This paper presents the advances made at the Centre f or Electrochemical and Energy Research (CEER), SPIC Science Foundation , India on low platinum loading (0.1 mg Pt cm(-2)) electrodes. The per formance of the electrode fabricated at the centre with 0.1 mg Pt cm(- 2) was found to be comparable with the state-of-the-art electrode with 0.4 mg Pt cm(-2). The performance of the electrode was evaluated from the measurement of cell potential-current density plots. The electrod e-kinetic parameters for oxygen reduction was evaluated from the resul ts. The electrochemically active Pt surface area was measured by cycli c voltammetry.