Electronic structure of Pt and Pt-Co nanoparticles with O and O/HO adsorption revealed by in situ XAFS and hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy

Cui, Y.*; 原田 慈久*; 畑中 達也*; 中村 直樹*; 安藤 雅樹*; 吉田 稔彦*; 池永 英司*; 石井 賢司*; 松村 大樹; Li, R.*; et al.

ECS Transactions, 72(8), p.131 - 136, 2016/10

https://doi.org/10.1149/07208.0131ecst

The electronic structures of Pt and Pt-Co nanoparticles with O adsorption and O/HO co-adsorption were investigated by in situ hard X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (HAXPES) and in situ high resolution fluorescence detection X-ray absorption spectroscopy (HERFD-XAS) to clarify the effects of water adsorption on fuel cell cathode catalysis surface. The experimental results suggest that under the pressure of 1 mbar, the adsorption of HO hinders the successive O adsorption on Pt surface, while under the pressure of 1 bar, the adsorption of HO enhances the adsorption of O on Pt surface. This water effect is found to be more significant on Pt surface than on Pt-Co surface. These results would be helpful to understand how the water affects the fuel cell performance and why Pt-Co nanoparticles show higher oxygen reduce reaction (ORR) activity than Pt nanoparticles.