The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 15, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 18, 1998
Charles M. Lukehart, Nashville, TN (US);
William D. King, Aiken, SC (US);
Stephen B. Milne, Wayne, NJ (US);
Frank E. Jones, III, Antioch, TN (US);
James D. Corn, Nashville, TN (US);
Deborah L. Boxall, Franklin, TN (US);
Krzysztof C. Kwiatkowski, Nashville, TN (US);
Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN (US);
Abstract
The present invention relates to methods for preparing polymetallic precursors and for preparing improved nanocomposites formed from such precursors which are useful in fuel cell catalyst compositions. The nanocomposites include a support and a plurality of polymetallic nanoparticles with a selected metal atomic ratio. The metals in the polymetallic precursors have a stoichiometric ratio which is approximately equal to the selected atomic ratio of metals in the nanoparticles such that stoichiometric control is provided for the resulting nanocomposite catalyst. Crystalline intermetallic or metal alloy nanoparticles form when a polymetallic precursor having a particular metal stoichiometry is contacted with a conductive support, and the precursor is thermally degraded on the support leading to retention of the metal core of the precursor on the support. The polymetallic alloy nanoparticles formed have a selected metal atomic ratio which is approximately equal to the stoichiometric ratio of metals in the polymetallic precursor. Fuel cell catalysts comprising such nanocomposites have utility as either anode or cathode fuel cell catalysts, particularly in DMFCs.