{"id":{"repo_id":"soton","oai_identifier":"oai:eprints.soton.ac.uk:142773"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/soton/oai:eprints.soton.ac.uk:142773","repository":{"repo_id":"soton","name":"University of Southampton","base_url":"https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/cgi/oai2"},"display":{"title":"Preparation, characterisation and evaluation of core-shell electrocatalyst for PEMFCs","abstract":"For oxygen reduction catalysis it has been shown that thin layers of platinum (shell)<br/>over a non-Pt core enhance the activity. In addition surface science studies have found that<br/>overlayers of one metal on another strongly modifies the electrocatalytic properties of the<br/>surface metal. The aim of this project is to develop this concept by the preparation of<br/>practical fuel cell catalysts based on the core-shell model and gain a fundamental<br/>understanding of their properties and behaviour. A key aspect of the work is to establish<br/>the physical characteristics required for a catalyst to show long-term stability as well as<br/>improved activity.<br/><br/>Chapter 1 introduces the PEM fuel cells, ORR electrocatalysts and the preparation and<br/>characterisation of core-shell type electrocatalysts. The experimental techniques,<br/>procedures and apparatus used for this work will be described in Chapter 2. The<br/>mechanism of the synthetic controlled-surface reaction (CSR) used to prepare the coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was studied in Chapter 3. Then the focus will be on the palladiumcore<br/>and platinum-shell system in Chapter 4 and 5, where the effects of the Pt shell and the<br/>Pd core size on the electrocatalysts properties are investigated. The electrocatalysts<br/>prepared for these studies were assessed for their electrochemical stabilities and their ORR<br/>activities. Finally, Chapter 6 presents preliminary results on the iridium-core and platinumshell<br/>system.<br/>The deposition of Pt on Pd and Ir cores using the CSR did not lead to a complete Pt<br/>coverage as Pt tended to deposit preferentially at the edges and corners on the core surface<br/>and then on Pt. Whereas an enhancement in the electrochemical stability of the Pt/Pd coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was observed compared to a pure Pt electrocatalyst, the Pt/Ir coreshell<br/>showed poorer stability than Pt. Benefits in the ORR activity were gained with both<br/>the Pt/Pd and Pt/Ir core-shell electrocatalysts. This demonstrates that, due to the original<br/>properties of the core-shell-structured electrocatalysts, it is possible to use less Pt and still<br/>obtain an improvement in the ORR activity.","abstract_html":"For oxygen reduction catalysis it has been shown that thin layers of platinum (shell)&lt;br/&gt;over a non-Pt core enhance the activity. In addition surface science studies have found that&lt;br/&gt;overlayers of one metal on another strongly modifies the electrocatalytic properties of the&lt;br/&gt;surface metal. The aim of this project is to develop this concept by the preparation of&lt;br/&gt;practical fuel cell catalysts based on the core-shell model and gain a fundamental&lt;br/&gt;understanding of their properties and behaviour. A key aspect of the work is to establish&lt;br/&gt;the physical characteristics required for a catalyst to show long-term stability as well as&lt;br/&gt;improved activity.&lt;br/&gt;&lt;br/&gt;Chapter 1 introduces the PEM fuel cells, ORR electrocatalysts and the preparation and&lt;br/&gt;characterisation of core-shell type electrocatalysts. The experimental techniques,&lt;br/&gt;procedures and apparatus used for this work will be described in Chapter 2. The&lt;br/&gt;mechanism of the synthetic controlled-surface reaction (CSR) used to prepare the coreshell&lt;br/&gt;electrocatalysts was studied in Chapter 3. Then the focus will be on the palladiumcore&lt;br/&gt;and platinum-shell system in Chapter 4 and 5, where the effects of the Pt shell and the&lt;br/&gt;Pd core size on the electrocatalysts properties are investigated. The electrocatalysts&lt;br/&gt;prepared for these studies were assessed for their electrochemical stabilities and their ORR&lt;br/&gt;activities. Finally, Chapter 6 presents preliminary results on the iridium-core and platinumshell&lt;br/&gt;system.&lt;br/&gt;The deposition of Pt on Pd and Ir cores using the CSR did not lead to a complete Pt&lt;br/&gt;coverage as Pt tended to deposit preferentially at the edges and corners on the core surface&lt;br/&gt;and then on Pt. Whereas an enhancement in the electrochemical stability of the Pt/Pd coreshell&lt;br/&gt;electrocatalysts was observed compared to a pure Pt electrocatalyst, the Pt/Ir coreshell&lt;br/&gt;showed poorer stability than Pt. Benefits in the ORR activity were gained with both&lt;br/&gt;the Pt/Pd and Pt/Ir core-shell electrocatalysts. This demonstrates that, due to the original&lt;br/&gt;properties of the core-shell-structured electrocatalysts, it is possible to use less Pt and still&lt;br/&gt;obtain an improvement in the ORR activity.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Tessier, Beatrice Claire"],"institution":"University of Southampton","degree_name":"Ph.D.","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":null,"degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":["Russell, Andrea E."],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2009,"date_issued":"2009-12","date_published":"2009-12","updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:36:14Z","subjects":[],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":null,"outbound_label":null,"outbound_source":null},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.advisor","label":"Advisor","values":["Russell, Andrea E."]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Tessier, Beatrice Claire"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date","label":"Dc Date","values":["2009-12"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2009-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.department","label":"Dc Publisher Department","values":["Chemistry (pre 2011 reorg)","School of Chemistry"]},{"key":"dc:publisher.institution","label":"Dc Publisher Institution","values":["University of Southampton"]},{"key":"dc:relation.isreferencedby","label":"Dc Relation Isreferencedby","values":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/142773/"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Thesis"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationlevel","label":"Dc Type Qualificationlevel","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"dc:type.qualificationname","label":"Dc Type Qualificationname","values":["Ph.D."]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/142773/1/Beatrice_Tessier_thesis_12April2010.pdf"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["For oxygen reduction catalysis it has been shown that thin layers of platinum (shell)<br/>over a non-Pt core enhance the activity. In addition surface science studies have found that<br/>overlayers of one metal on another strongly modifies the electrocatalytic properties of the<br/>surface metal. The aim of this project is to develop this concept by the preparation of<br/>practical fuel cell catalysts based on the core-shell model and gain a fundamental<br/>understanding of their properties and behaviour. A key aspect of the work is to establish<br/>the physical characteristics required for a catalyst to show long-term stability as well as<br/>improved activity.<br/><br/>Chapter 1 introduces the PEM fuel cells, ORR electrocatalysts and the preparation and<br/>characterisation of core-shell type electrocatalysts. The experimental techniques,<br/>procedures and apparatus used for this work will be described in Chapter 2. The<br/>mechanism of the synthetic controlled-surface reaction (CSR) used to prepare the coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was studied in Chapter 3. Then the focus will be on the palladiumcore<br/>and platinum-shell system in Chapter 4 and 5, where the effects of the Pt shell and the<br/>Pd core size on the electrocatalysts properties are investigated. The electrocatalysts<br/>prepared for these studies were assessed for their electrochemical stabilities and their ORR<br/>activities. Finally, Chapter 6 presents preliminary results on the iridium-core and platinumshell<br/>system.<br/>The deposition of Pt on Pd and Ir cores using the CSR did not lead to a complete Pt<br/>coverage as Pt tended to deposit preferentially at the edges and corners on the core surface<br/>and then on Pt. Whereas an enhancement in the electrochemical stability of the Pt/Pd coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was observed compared to a pure Pt electrocatalyst, the Pt/Ir coreshell<br/>showed poorer stability than Pt. Benefits in the ORR activity were gained with both<br/>the Pt/Pd and Pt/Ir core-shell electrocatalysts. This demonstrates that, due to the original<br/>properties of the core-shell-structured electrocatalysts, it is possible to use less Pt and still<br/>obtain an improvement in the ORR activity."]},{"key":"dc:format","label":"Dc Format","values":["text"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Preparation, characterisation and evaluation of core-shell electrocatalyst for PEMFCs"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.advisor":["Russell, Andrea E."],"dc:creator":["Tessier, Beatrice Claire"],"dc:date":["2009-12"],"dc:date.issued":["2009-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["For oxygen reduction catalysis it has been shown that thin layers of platinum (shell)<br/>over a non-Pt core enhance the activity. In addition surface science studies have found that<br/>overlayers of one metal on another strongly modifies the electrocatalytic properties of the<br/>surface metal. The aim of this project is to develop this concept by the preparation of<br/>practical fuel cell catalysts based on the core-shell model and gain a fundamental<br/>understanding of their properties and behaviour. A key aspect of the work is to establish<br/>the physical characteristics required for a catalyst to show long-term stability as well as<br/>improved activity.<br/><br/>Chapter 1 introduces the PEM fuel cells, ORR electrocatalysts and the preparation and<br/>characterisation of core-shell type electrocatalysts. The experimental techniques,<br/>procedures and apparatus used for this work will be described in Chapter 2. The<br/>mechanism of the synthetic controlled-surface reaction (CSR) used to prepare the coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was studied in Chapter 3. Then the focus will be on the palladiumcore<br/>and platinum-shell system in Chapter 4 and 5, where the effects of the Pt shell and the<br/>Pd core size on the electrocatalysts properties are investigated. The electrocatalysts<br/>prepared for these studies were assessed for their electrochemical stabilities and their ORR<br/>activities. Finally, Chapter 6 presents preliminary results on the iridium-core and platinumshell<br/>system.<br/>The deposition of Pt on Pd and Ir cores using the CSR did not lead to a complete Pt<br/>coverage as Pt tended to deposit preferentially at the edges and corners on the core surface<br/>and then on Pt. Whereas an enhancement in the electrochemical stability of the Pt/Pd coreshell<br/>electrocatalysts was observed compared to a pure Pt electrocatalyst, the Pt/Ir coreshell<br/>showed poorer stability than Pt. Benefits in the ORR activity were gained with both<br/>the Pt/Pd and Pt/Ir core-shell electrocatalysts. This demonstrates that, due to the original<br/>properties of the core-shell-structured electrocatalysts, it is possible to use less Pt and still<br/>obtain an improvement in the ORR activity."],"dc:format":["text"],"dc:identifier.uri":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/142773/1/Beatrice_Tessier_thesis_12April2010.pdf"],"dc:publisher.department":["Chemistry (pre 2011 reorg)","School of Chemistry"],"dc:publisher.institution":["University of Southampton"],"dc:relation.isreferencedby":["https://eprints.soton.ac.uk/142773/"],"dc:title":["Preparation, characterisation and evaluation of core-shell electrocatalyst for PEMFCs"],"dc:type":["Thesis"],"dc:type.qualificationlevel":["doctoral"],"dc:type.qualificationname":["Ph.D."]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T04:36:14Z"}