Preparation of noble metal-free electrocatalysts for the improvement in cathode electrode performance of alkaline fuel cells

Research Project

Project/Area Number	16K05941
Research Category	Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
Allocation Type	Multi-year Fund
Section	一般
Research Field	Inorganic industrial materials
Research Institution	University of Miyazaki
Principal Investigator	Matsunaga Naoki 宮崎大学, 工学部, 准教授 (40405543)
Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha)	酒井剛宮崎大学, 工学部, 教授 (40284567)
Project Period (FY)	2016-10-21 – 2019-03-31
Project Status	Completed (Fiscal Year 2018)
Budget Amount *help	¥3,770,000 (Direct Cost: ¥2,900,000、Indirect Cost: ¥870,000) Fiscal Year 2018: ¥650,000 (Direct Cost: ¥500,000、Indirect Cost: ¥150,000) Fiscal Year 2017: ¥1,300,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,000,000、Indirect Cost: ¥300,000) Fiscal Year 2016: ¥1,820,000 (Direct Cost: ¥1,400,000、Indirect Cost: ¥420,000)
Keywords	電極触媒 / アルカリ形燃料電池 / 酸素還元活性 / マンガン酸化物 / 燃料電池用電極触媒 / アルカリ形 / 遷移金属化合物
Outline of Final Research Achievements	Reduction reaction of nickel-cobalt complex hydroxide in alkaline solution was found to be originated from the reduction reaction of NiOOH to Ni(OH)2 and CoOOH to Co(OH)2. Main phase of manganese oxide precursors prepared by hydrolysis was Mn3O4 phase, however, when the concentration of alkaline media was high, unknown phase was appeared. Among various state of commercial manganese oxides, Mn3O4 showed slightly high activity for oxygen reduction reaction in alkaline solution. The electrocatalytic activity of platinum supported on manganese oxide for oxygen reduction reaction depended on the synthesis route, i.e., simultaneous reduction of Pt and manganese oxide support was effective to obtain fairly high activity.
Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements	アルカリ形燃料電池は、白金使用量の低減の可能性がある。近年、水酸化物イオン伝導性膜の開発が進み、大気中の二酸化炭素の電解質への溶解と発電性能の低下の原因となる電解質中での炭酸塩形成の抑制が解消できるようになってきた。高性能非貴金属触媒の開発が行われているが、白金代替材料を見出すには至っていない。申請者らは、急速加水分解法による試料調製とアルカリ水溶液中での酸素還元活性の評価を行うことで、塩基性条件下で安定に作動する燃料電池用電極触媒の設計指針の確立を目指す。本研究の成果は、アルカリ形燃料電池用電極触媒の基礎研究となり、エネルギー分野の企業への波及と需要を想定している。