Cathodic oxygen reduction at the catalyst layer formed from Pt/carbon with adsorbed water

An increase in Pt utilization in polymer electrolyte fuel cell electrodes is necessary to improve performance and reduce cost. In the present study, water adsorption was carried out as a pretreatment of Pt/carbon used with Nafion® solution to prepare a catalyst paste for electrode catalyst layer formation. Mercury porosimetry and cyclic voltammetry were used to characterize the catalyst layer, and the RDE method to investigate its activity for cathodic oxygen reduction. The results revealed that Pt utilization was increased by the pretreatment due to Nafion® penetration into the pores of Pt/C and that oxygen reduction was enhanced at the catalyst layer.