摘要 |
Fuel cell catalysts which are efficient, long-lived, and refurbishable in-situ include gold carrying a UPD deposit of another element. UPD Ag, Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh or Tl, Pb and Bi on Au crystallites are carried on and bonded to another substrate. The crystallites cause dissociative adsorption of the oxygen molecules so that four electrons are produced per molecule during the reduction reaction which is involved. In an alkaline electrolyte, the catalyst metals such as Pd, Ir, Ag, Rh and Pt show no tendency to poison the counter electrode (counter relative to the other electrode) since each of those metals is a good catalyst for both electrodes. Suitable fuels include methanol (CH3OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), and formic acid (HCOOH). |