Experimental investigation on novel MgO supported Pt/C anode electrode for enhancing fuel cell performance

In this study, a novel material has been fabricated as the catalyst for the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell, which aims to reduce the Pt/C load and sustain the better performance of the cell. The synthesis of magnesium oxide involves the thermal decomposition of magnesium sulfate heptahydrate. The catalyst ink was prepared by combining the obtained MgO with isopropyl alcohol and nafion solution. The catalyst ink was coated with a Pt/C catalyst layer on the anode side and the cathode side consisted of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The Membrane Electrode Assembly (MEA) was fabricated by sandwiching the polymer membrane between the anode and cathode electrodes. The prepared MgO support anode electrode was subjected to various characterizations like XRD, Raman spectrometry, UV spectrometry, and electrochemical characterizations like Cyclic Voltammetry (CV), stability, and Electrochemical Impedance Spectrometry (EIS). The single-cell performance of the novel catalyst support layer on the anode side exhibits a power output of 0.61W/cm². The maximum power density of 0.61 W/cm² that was achieved under both humidified and dry circumstances indicates that the coated catalyst material has no adverse impact on the H₂ oxidation reaction, which signifies the durability and reliability of the novel MgO-coated catalyst.