Study of Various Approaches to the Synthesis of PtCo/C Electrocatalysts for Fuel Cells

A comparative analysis of different methods for the bimetallic PtCo/C fuel cells electrocatalysts synthesis was carried out. The structure and catalytic activity of materials obtained by borohydride synthesis method, synthesis on a cobalt-containing carbon substrate, polyol synthesis method and modified polyol synthesis method were studied using a complex of modern methods. Some of the obtained PtCo/C materials turned out to be comparable in activity to commercial analogues. Based on the results of a synthesis methods, comparative analysis used, the synthesis method using a composite cobalt-containing carbon support can be recommended as the most promising for further optimization.