1. Novel Nano-Rods PtSn electro- catalysts for fuel cells Alex Schechter Ariel University Center July 2011

2. Fuel cells & electrochemistry Group Activities at AUC Non- Pt selective catalysts for DMFC and PEMFC, with high selectivity towards oxygen reduction in high concentrations of methanol Active and durable catalysts and catalyst support materials based on Sn and PtSn Novel design of fuel cell prototypes Hydrogen generation materials and devices from primary hydrides for PEMFC

3. Direct methaol fuel cell(DMFC) Concept Membrane/ Separator/ Electrolyte 6e - In Air – O 2 Water + Methanol Residue 3H 2 O CO 2 Out Methanol solution In 6H+ AnodeCathode

4. Challenges in Fuel cell catalysis  Activity  Price & Availability  Durability over time

5. Pt instability in fuel cells P. J. Ferreira, and Y. Shao-Horn. Electrochem. Solid State Lett. 10, B60 (2007).

6. Metallic Sn core SnO 2 shell Tin (Sn) Nanorods in Core shell as catalyst material for fuel cell

7. Impregnation with NaBH 4 as a reduction agent Electrodeposition method Microwave irradiation Ultrasound irradiation Atomic layer deposition

8. Sn NR Catalyst on Sn NR

9. Sn/SnO 2 nano roads prepared at AUC fuel cells lab

10. Tin Melting in a Core-shell NR structure Sn m.p.

11. Pt PtSn

12. 1 st cycle 50 th cycle

13. Commercial PtRu Microwave synthesized PtSn

14. NR 50nm x 300nm provide very high surface area. Stable support for Pt in acid environment. Low resistivity due to a core shell structure. Formation of conductive 3D network structure is made plausible by low T sintering of NR. Highly active PtSn alloy and Pt on SnO 2 support show excellent activity towrdes most widely used fuels in fuel cells. Use of advance methods (Electrochemical ALD) and can increase the catalysts utilization and reduce the fuel cell cost.

15. Partnership Sought Collaborator 1 Fuel cell material developing group or company seeking alternatives catalysts to the state of the art Pt or PtRu on carbon support Collaborator 2 Dynamic fluidic calculation of 3D-NR structure Mathematical model mass and electrical balance of the fuel cell Collaborator 3 Theoretical quantum mechanical study of methanol& hydrogen oxidation on Pt and PtSnO 2

16. acknowledgements Dr. Hanan Teller Dr. Olga Krachevsky

17. Thank You