Process for preparing an anode catalyst for fuel cells and the anode catalyst prepared therewith

US6797667B2 · kind B2 · utility

Assignee

• UMICORE AG & CO. KG · DE

Inventors

• Karsten Ruth · Alzenau, DE
• Peter Biberbach · Rodenbach, DE
• Karl-Anton Starz · Rodenbach, DE
• Ralph McIntosh · Hanau, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: May 16, 2002
• Grant date: Sep 28, 2004
• Expiry date: May 30, 2022

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E60/50
• WIPO field: Electrical machinery, apparatus, energy
• WIPO sector: Electrical engineering

Abstract

The invention provides a process for preparing a platinum-ruthenium catalyst and the catalyst prepared therewith. The catalyst can be supported on a support material in powder form or may also be unsupported. To prepare the supported catalyst, the support material is suspended in water and the suspension is heated to at most the boiling point. While keeping the temperature of the suspension the same, solutions of hexachloroplatinic acid and ruthenium chloride are then added to the suspension, then the pH of the suspension is increased to a value between 6.5 and 10 by adding an alkaline solution and the noble metals are thus precipitated onto the support material. Afterwards, one or more organic carboxylic acids and/or their salts are added to the suspension and the catalyst is chemically reduced, washed, dried and optionally subsequently calcined under an inert or reducing atmosphere at a temperature between 300 und 1000° C. The catalyst is characterised by a high tolerance to carbon monoxide poisoning in the fuel cell.