Fabrication and Characterisation of Fuel Cell Catalyst Nanoparticles via Laser Ablation

Abstract

This report investigates the feasibility of using laser ablation in liquid (LAL) to produce nanoparticles to be used as catalysts in fuel cells, with a focus on producing Pt3Y-particles for use in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). Energydispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements indicate that the yttrium was oxidised during the fabrication process, and, thus, not forming the alloy with platinum as aimed for. Similarly, when ionic liquids were used as the ablation liquid, much of the yttrium reacted with fluorine present in the liquid. Taken together, the lack of metallic yttrium indicates that the particles were formed by evaporation and condensation of atoms from the target surface in the liquid phase rather than from ejection of droplets.