Fuel cells and fuel cell catalysts incorporating a nanoring support

摘要

The fuel cells include electrode membrane assemblies having a nanoparticle catalyst supported on carbon nanorings. The carbon nanorings are formed from one or more carbon layers that form a wall that defines a generally annular nanostructure having a hole. The length of the nanoring is less than or about equal to the outer diameter thereof. The nanorings exhibit high surface area, high porosity, high graphitization, and/or facilitate mass transfer and electron transfer in fuel cell reactions.