Аннотация:The activities of Pt electrocatalysts modified with a prepared silica powder (with SiO2 contents of 3 and 7 wt%) in the oxygen reduction reaction in the temperature range from 0 °C to 50 °C were investigated by the rotating disk electrode technique to evaluate their efficiency in the process of the cold start of a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). An increase in the mass activity of the Pt-SiO2/C electrocatalyst in comparison with Pt/C was observed, which can be attributed to a more dispersed distribution of platinum particles on the support surface and a decrease in their size. The activity values of the silica-modified electrocatalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction were approximately two-fold higher at 1 °C and four-fold higher at elevated temperatures of up to 50 °C in comparison with Pt/C, which makes their application in PEMFCs at low temperatures, including in the process of cold start, a promising avenue for further investigation.
