Durability investigation of carbon nanotube as catalyst support for proton exchange membrane fuel cell

Electrochemical surface oxidation of carbon black Vulcan XC-72 and multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWNT) has been compared following potentiostatic treatments up to 168 h under condition simulating PEMFC cathode environment (60 °C, N2 purged 0.5 M H2SO4, and a constant potential of 0.9 V). The subsequent electrochemical characterization at different treatment time intervals suggests that MWNT is electrochemically more stable than Vulcan XC-72 with less surface oxide formation and 30% lower corrosion current under the investigated condition. As a result of high corrosion resistance, MWNT shows lower loss of Pt surface area and oxygen reduction reaction activity when used as fuel cell catalyst support.