Summary
Conventional carbon supports for platinum catalysts corrode under the harsh conditions inside a proton-exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), degrading electrode performance over time. This work proposes a more durable alternative: electrospun antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) nanofibres as the catalyst support. Combining electrospinning with an appropriate thermal treatment yields conductive, corrosion-resistant ATO nanofibres onto which platinum nanoparticles are deposited. Because the oxide support resists oxidation far better than carbon, the resulting electrodes retain their electrochemically active surface area and activity through potential cycling, showing markedly improved stability. The study demonstrates that electrospun doped tin-oxide fibres are a promising route to longer-lived PEMFC electrodes without sacrificing the electrical conductivity needed for efficient operation.