Platinum supported on mesoporous carbon as electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells

Electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications are based on Pt or Pt-alloys particles dispersed on a porous carbon support. Ordered mesoporous carbons (OMC) have attracted much interest due to their use as catalytic supports for fuel cell applications both for oxygen reduction and methanol oxidation. High surface area, good electrical conductivity, mesoporosity enhancing the diffusion of reactants and, finally, the possibility of an easy metal particles dispersion are some of their promising characteristics. In the present work ordered mesoporous carbon has been synthesized and has been used as platinum nanoparticles support with high specific surface area (> 1000 m2g-1).