Porous Oxide Catalyst Support for High-Humidity Flooding Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing catalysts degrade under high humidity conditions due to flooding phenomena caused by water clogging the pores, and the addition of graphitized carbon black to improve performance under high humidity impairs long-term stability.
Innovation Solution
A method for manufacturing a support powder with specific crystallite sizes and secondary pore volumes, forming a chained structure with voids to facilitate gas diffusion and prevent flooding, using thermal decomposition and heat treatment to create a catalyst with a crystallite size of 10 to 30 nm and secondary pore volume of 0.313 cm^3/cm^3, without the use of graphitized carbon black.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If graphitized carbon black is added to improve cell performance under high humidity environment, then cell performance is improved, but long term stability is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a porous support structure with specifically controlled pore size distribution (secondary pores with diameter of 25-80 nm) to facilitate water discharge. The porous structure enables efficient water removal through capillary action and pressure gradients, preventing flooding without requiring graphitized carbon black additives, thus maintaining both high performance and long term stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent optimizes physical parameters of the support structure, including pore diameter (25-80 nm), pore volume ratio (0.045-0.20 cm³/cm³), and crystallite size (10-30 nm), to achieve optimal water discharge performance. By precisely controlling these parameters, the catalyst maintains high cell performance under high humidity while avoiding the stability issues associated with carbon black addition.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If water is discharged from pores to prevent flooding, then flooding is prevented, but pore volume must be increased which may reduce catalyst density
Solution Approach 1:
The patent creates a hierarchical pore structure with different pore sizes serving different functions: primary pores (diameter ≤25 nm) for catalytic activity and secondary pores (diameter 25-80 nm) for water discharge. This local differentiation of pore qualities allows efficient water removal while maintaining high catalyst density and active surface area in the primary pores.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent segments the pore structure into two distinct systems: primary pores for catalytic function and secondary pores for water transport. This segmentation allows each pore type to be optimized for its specific function, preventing flooding through the secondary pore network while maintaining high catalyst density in the primary pore regions.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The catalyst maintains high performance under high humidity conditions by effectively discharging water generated by catalytic reactions, thereby improving cell performance without stability issues.
Implementation Method 1
a support powder which is an aggregate of support fine particles is generated by performing thermal decomposition of a metal compound under high temperature region of at least 1000°C
Implementation Method 2
the support powder is subjected to heat treatment at 500 to 750°C for a heat treatment duration time of 0.1 to 20 hours
Implementation Method 3
metal fine particles are supported on the support powder
Data Source
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AI summary
A support powder can improve cell performance under high humidity environment. A support and metal catalyst, including: a support powder; and metal fine particles supported on the support powder; wherein: the support powder is an aggregate of support fine particles; the support fine particles are fine particles of oxide compound and has a chained portion structured by a plurality of crystallites being fusion bonded to form a chain; the crystallites have a size of 10 to 30 nm; the support powder has a void; the void includes a secondary pore having a pore diameter of more than 25 nm and 80 nm or less determined by BJH method; and a volume of the secondary pore per unit volume of the support fine particles structuring the support powder is 0.313 cm3/cm3 or more, is provided.