Pt/TiN-TiO2 catalyst preparation and its performance in oxygen reduction reaction

Easy corrosion and Pt loss are severe problems in traditional Pt/C catalysts. Herein, a conductive and corrosion-resistant TiN-TiO2 support was prepared by the alkali treatment of TiN. The micropore ratio of the support remarkably increases after alkali treatment, and the specific surface area increases from 41.0 m(2) g(-1) of TiN to 108 m(2) g(-1) of TiN-TiO2. The scanning electron microscopy image reveals the needle-like and spherical structures, which are attributed to TiO2 and aggregated TiN, respectively. TiO2 is the anatase crystal in the TiN-TiO2 support. The ohmic polarization of proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) with Pt/TiN-TiO2 in the cathode is lower than that with Pt/C in the cathode. The peak power and peak current density of PEMFC with Pt/TiN-TiO(2 )catalyst increase by 36% and 28%, respectively, compared with PEMFC containing Pt/C catalyst. Overall, TiN-TiO2 catalyst has higher stability and electrochemical performance than Pt/C catalyst.