A New Fuel Cell Cathode Catalyst

THE use of metal phthalocyanines as catalysts for the oxidation of organic compounds has been described in the literature. A number of papers by C. Paquot have reported the catalytic activity of the nickel phthalo-cyanine in the oxidation of long-chain fatty acids and their esters1, saturated ketones2, benzene hydrocarbons such as toluene and ethylbenzene3, cyclohexane hydrocarbons4, and pinene5. In addition, M. Baldwin reported the oxidation of olefins, principally isobutylene, by copper phthalocyanine supported on pumice6. A. Cook7 described the activity of iron phthalocyanine for the catalytic decomposition of hydrogen peroxide. A slow degradation of the catalyst was observed which was ascribed to a complex formed between the peroxide and the phthalocyanine. On the basis of these reports, a number of phthalocyanines were tested as cathode catalysts in fuel cells.