Patent ID: 7550223

Claim:
A method of making a cathode catalyst, wherein the cathode catalyst comprises a composite comprising a heteroatomic polymer and dispersed carbon particles, a transition metal other than platinum linked to the heteroatomic polymer by one of nitrogen, sulfur, phosphorus, and oxygen, and a recast ionomer dispersed throughout the heteroatomic polymer-carbon composite, the method comprising the steps of: a. forming the composite comprising a heteroatomic polymer and dispersed carbon particles; b. loading the transition metal on the composite comprising a heteroatomic polymer and dispersed carbon particles to form a transition metal composite by: i. forming an aqueous dispersion of the composite comprising a heteroatomic polymer and dispersed carbon particles; ii. providing a precursor of the transition metal to the aqueous dispersion; and iii. reducing the transition metal prior to forming the transition metal composite by adding a reducing agent to the aqueous dispersion; and c. blending the recast ionomer with the transition metal composite to form the cathode catalyst.