title: Ordered macroporous platinum electrode and enhanced mass transfer in fuel cells using inverse opal structure.
abstract: Three-dimensional, ordered macroporous materials such as inverse opal structures are attractive materials for various applications in electrochemical devices because of the benefits derived from their periodic structures: relatively large surface areas, large voidage, low tortuosity and interconnected macropores. However, a direct application of an inverse opal structure in membrane electrode assemblies has been considered impractical because of the limitations in fabrication routes including an unsuitable substrate. Here we report the demonstration of a single cell that maintains an inverse opal structure entirely within a membrane electrode assembly. Compared with the conventional catalyst slurry, an ink-based assembly, this modified assembly has a robust and integrated configuration of catalyst layers; therefore, the loss of catalyst particles can be minimized. Furthermore, the inverse-opal-structure electrode maintains an effective porosity, an enhanced performance, as well as an improved mass transfer and more effective water management, owing to its morphological advantages.
authors.affiliation: 1] Center for Nanoparticle Research, Institute for Basic Science (IBS), Seoul 151-742, South Korea [2] School of Chemical and Biological Engineering, Seoul National University, Seoul 151-742, South Korea.
authors.forename: Ok-Hee
authors.initials: OH
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Yong-Hun
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Soon Hyung
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Kang
authors.forename: Hee-Young
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Minhyoung
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Ju Wan
authors.initials: JW
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Dong Young
authors.initials: DY
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Myeong Jae
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Heeman
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Choe
authors.forename: Yung-Eun
authors.initials: YE
authors.lastname: Sung