Technologies Available for License

2004-026: Platinum and Platinum Alloy- Coated Palladium and Palladium Alloy Particles

Invention: 2004-026

Patent Status: U.S. Patent Number 7,691,780 was issued on April 26, 2010

For technical and licensing related questions, email tcp@bnl.gov.

Summary

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High resolution electron micrograph of a palladium nanoparticle coated with a monolayer of platinum

Platinum is an excellent catalyst for many reactions. However, it is also very expensive. The catalytic activity per gram of platinum can be increased by using a particle composite consisting of an atomically thin layer of the metal on a palladium alloy particle. When used as an electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction, this structure exhibits up to twenty times the platinum mass catalytic activity of commercially available platinum/carbon electrocatalysts. These structures can be used in fuel cells and other electrocatalytic or heterogeneous catalytic applications.

Description

These particle composites comprise a palladium or palladium-alloy particle or nanoparticle substrate coated with an atomic submonolayer, monolayer, bilayer, or trilayer of zerovalent platinum atoms.

Journal Publication & Intellectual Property

• Core-Protected Platinum Monolayer Shell High-Stability Electrocatalysts for Fuel-Cell Cathodes (.pdf)
• US 7,691,780 B2 (.pdf)

Press Releases

• New Highly Stable Fuel-Cell Catalyst Gets Strength from its Nano Core (.pdf)