Tin dioxide coated carbon materials as an alternative catalyst support for PEMFCs: Impacts of the intrinsic carbon properties and the synthesis parameters on the coating characteristics

International audience; Several carbon materials (one carbon nanotubes, two carbon blacks and one home-made carbon aerogel) were covered by thin tin dioxide (SnO2) nanoparticles coatings to improve their resistance against oxidation under the working conditions of Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells. A pretreatment for the nanotubes in acidic media was also performed to improve their dispersion in the reactive medium. The coating was done by a chemical route. Samples were analysed by Scanning Electronic Microscopy (SEM), nitrogen sorption, X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Fourier Transformed InfraRed (FTIR) and X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS). Their electrical conductivities were also measured. Using a reactive medium with a pH value exceeding the point of zero charge of the carbon materials is mandatory to favour electrostatic attractions, and to obtain covering and homogeneous coatings. In this condition, it is possible to reduce the quantity of precursor and to optimise the coating. The intrinsic properties of the carbon materials also influence the characteristics of the coatings. In fact, the least organised carbon materials with high specific surface area and porosity values exhibit homogeneous and covering coatings. On the contrary, organised carbon materials, with few oxygen-containing groups, lead to a smaller quantity and heterogeneous coatings (with some areas of carbon surface uncovered). The pretreatment performed on the nanotubes improves the characteristics of the coatings, even if using significant amounts of precursor remains necessary to obtain a covering and a homogeneous coating. The transformation mechanisms of the precursor into tin dioxide, depending on the pH, value are also discussed.