Inventors:
Perminder S. Bindra - Ossining NY
Allan P. David - Binghamton NY
David N. Light - Putnam Valley NY
Assignee:
International Business Machines Corporation - Armonk NY
International Classification:
H01M 492
H01M 808
Abstract:
Fuel cell catalysts which are efficient, long-lived, and refurbishable in-situ include gold carrying a UPD deposit of another element. UPD Ag, Pt, Pd, Ir, Rh or Tl, Pb and Bi on Au crystallites are carried on and bonded to another substrate. The crystallites cause dissociative adsorption of the oxygen molecules so that four electrons are produced per molecule during the reduction reaction which is involved. In an alkaline electrolyte, the catalyst metals such as Pd, Ir, Ag, Rh and Pt show no tendency to poison the counter electrode (counter relative to the other electrode) since each of those metals is a good catalyst for both electrodes. Suitable fuels include methanol (CH. sub. 3 OH), formaldehyde (HCHO), and formic acid (HCOOH).