Application · MEA
Nano Platinum for Catalyst Ink and MEA Manufacturing
ZnoNova Materials
An MEA manufacturer does not buy a powder, it buys an ink that will coat reproducibly. Everything that decides whether that happens sits upstream in the powder's particle-size distribution and its behaviour once it meets an ionomer and a solvent.
The specification that actually governs your ink
| Primary particle size | 5–20 nm |
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| Secondary particle size | <200 nm — published as a specification |
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| BET surface area | 35 m²/g |
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| Morphology | Spherical |
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| Purity | 97% specified, 99.2% by ICP |
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| Moisture | <0.3% |
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| Density | 21.45 g/cm³ |
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Why we publish the secondary size. Every nano powder agglomerates. A supplier quoting only primary size is describing the powder as it was born, not as it arrives. The agglomerate figure is what tells your process engineer how much milling or sonication energy the ink will need, and whether the coating will show defects. We would rather give you that number than have you discover it on a coater.
What we can and cannot answer
- We do not publish a loading in mg/cm². That is an outcome of your ink solids, ionomer-to-carbon ratio, coating method and target performance, not a property of the powder.
- We do not publish polarisation curves. A curve from our lab on our MEA would not predict yours, and presenting one as if it would is the kind of thing that wastes a qualification cycle.
- We do not supply supported catalyst on carbon as a standard grade. If you need Pt/C at a specified weight loading rather than unsupported Pt powder, say so — that is a different product and we will tell you honestly what is and is not available.
- Ink formulation is yours. We can discuss dispersion routes from experience, but the recipe, the ionomer and the solvent system belong to your process.
Practical notes for the first trial
Wet first, then disperseDry-adding a nano powder into an ionomer solution is the fastest way to make agglomerates you then cannot break.
Watch the energy inputToo little and you keep agglomerates; too much and you can damage ionomer. This window is process-specific and worth mapping.
Ask for the CoA per batchBatch-to-batch particle-size consistency is what makes a coating process stable. We supply it on request.
Sample size is small10 g or 100 g bottles, so a trial does not require a commercial commitment.
Questions buyers ask
Do you supply Pt/C or unsupported Pt?
Unsupported nano platinum powder is the standard product. If your process needs carbon-supported platinum at a defined weight loading, tell us and we will confirm what is actually available rather than implying it exists.
What ionomer ratio should we use?
That belongs to your MEA design and target. We will not guess at it, because a number given without knowing your membrane and operating point would be worse than no number.
How consistent is particle size batch to batch?
Per-batch certificates of analysis are available on request, which is the practical way to establish that for your process.
Can you supply a ready dispersion?
Powder is standard. Dispersions and inks can be discussed if you specify the carrier and solids content.
Request a sample & full datasheet
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