Pt-Co Alloy Cluster Support for Mass-Produced Catalyst Deposition
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing Pt-supported carbon materials are industrially disadvantageous due to the need for various reagents, lack of established mass production techniques for dendrimers, and complexity in combining Pt particles with carbon materials.
Innovation Solution
A supporting body with a cluster of a Pt-Co alloy supported on a conductive material, produced using a method involving cluster generation and soft landing, allowing for industrial mass production with high mass activity as a catalyst.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If dendrimer synthesis is used to support Pt particles, then Pt can be supported on a carbon material, but various reagents including organic solvents are required which is industrially disadvantageous
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the dendrimer synthesis step and its associated reagents from the process. Instead of using dendrimers to support Pt particles, the patent directly forms Pt-Co alloy clusters on carbon supports through a simplified deposition process, removing the need for organic solvents and complex dendrimer chemistry while maintaining catalytic functionality.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention introduces a new intermediary approach by using a co-reducing agent system that enables direct formation of Pt-Co alloy clusters without dendrimers. The co-reducing agent mediates the reduction of metal salts to form alloy clusters in situ on the carbon support, replacing the dendrimer intermediary that previously required complex synthesis.
2Reliability
If dendrimer-based Pt support is used, then Pt can be supported on carbon material, but mass production techniques for dendrimers have not been established yet
Solution Approach 1:
The invention removes the dendrimer component entirely from the system, eliminating the bottleneck in mass production. By directly depositing Pt-Co alloy clusters on carbon supports using aqueous solutions and simple heating, the process becomes amenable to industrial-scale production without requiring established dendrimer manufacturing techniques.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the fundamental parameters of the synthesis process from complex dendrimer chemistry to simple thermal reduction in aqueous solution. This parameter change includes using water instead of organic solvents, direct heating instead of multi-step synthesis, and in situ cluster formation instead of pre-formed dendrimer assembly, all of which enable mass production.
3Reliability
If dendrimer synthesis is used to support Pt particles, then Pt can be supported on carbon material, but a step of combining the synthesized Pt particles and the carbon material is separately required which is complicated
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the Pt particle synthesis and carbon support combination steps into a single in situ process. Pt-Co alloy clusters are formed directly on the carbon support material through co-reduction of metal salts in aqueous solution, eliminating the separate combination step required in dendrimer-based methods and simplifying the overall process.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention performs preliminary action by pre-mixing the metal salts with the carbon support material before the reduction step. This ensures that when the co-reduction occurs upon heating, the Pt-Co alloy clusters form directly on the carbon support surface, eliminating the need for subsequent combination steps.
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 supporting body can be easily and cost-effectively mass-produced, achieving high mass activity as a catalyst, reducing the amount of Pt required and enhancing catalytic performance.
Implementation Method 1
A production method for producing the supporting body according to [1], the method including: a generation step of generating the cluster; and a supporting step of landing and supporting the cluster on the support.
Data Source
AI summary
A supporting body includes a cluster of an alloy containing Pt and Co, and a support on which the cluster is supported. An amount of Pt supported is 1×10−14 ng/cm2 or more and 1×105 ng/cm2 or less.