Recent Patents on Materials Science 2012, 5, 175-190 175 1874-4648/12 $100.00+.00 © 2012 Bentham Science Publishers Pt and Pd Based Catalysts with Novel Alloy and Core-Shell Nanostruc- tures for Practical Applications in Next Fuel Cells: Patents and Highlights Nguyen Viet Long 1,2,3,4 *, Cao Minh Thi 5 , Masayuki Nogami 4 and Michitaka Ohtaki 1 1 Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sciences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasugakouen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan; 2 Department of Education and Training, Posts and Telecommunications Institute of Technology, Nguyen-Trai, Ha-Dong, Hanoi, Vietnam; 3 Department of Materials Sci- ence and Engineering, Nagoya Institute of Technology, Gokiso-cho, Showa-ku, Nagoya 466-8555, Japan; 4 Laboratory for Nanotechnology, Ho-Chi-Minh Vietnam National University, Linh-Trung, Thu-Duc, Ho-Chi-Minh, Vietnam; 5 Ho- Chi-Minh City University of Technology (HUTECH),144/24 Dien Bien Phu, Ward 25, Binh Thach, Ho-Chi-Minh City, Vietnam Received: January 24, 2012; Accepted: February 9, 2012; Revised: February 14, 2012 Abstract: In this review, we have investigated research results of recent patents of various kinds of Pt or Pd based nanoparticles for catalysis. It includes aspects of practical applications of metal, bimetal or multi-metal based nanoparti- cles in catalysis and fuel cells. The synthetic methods and catalysts engineering are comprehensively presented in their excellent applications for fuel cells. The aims of this review are to provide achievements and highlights of patents of re- cent applications of Pt or Pd based material catalysts for various fuel cells. In particular, the Pt or Pd based nanoparticles of certain size, shape, structure, composition show great and promising applications in fuel cells and energy issues. The new and modified catalysts associated with the Pt or Pd based nanoparticles can improve future fuel cells with very high and robust performance. Our ideas and proposals of using a very low weight of Pt metal in novel robust and efficiently designed catalysts are one of the best ways for the large-scale commercialization of fuel cells technology. In addition, the characterization and controlled synthesis of metal, bimetal, multi-metal, and multi-component nanoparticles are discussed in potential applications for fuel cells. Finally, we think that greatly novel discoveries in science and technology through successful synthesis of novel alloy or core-shell nanoparticles and their excellent applications in catalysis, medicine and biology can be clearly predicted. Keywords: Alloy, alloy and core-shell catalyst, bimetal nanoparticles, carbon nanomaterials, chemical synthesis, core-shell, core-shell nanostructure, durability, electrocatalysts, electrocatalytic activity, fuel cells, hydrogen, metal nanoparticles, multi- component catalyst, nanostructured catalyst, noble metals, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), Pd alloyed catalyst, Pt alloyed catalyst, Pd nanoparticles, Pt nanoparticles, size and morphology, stability, surface. 1. INTRODUCTION At present, various kinds of various Pt nanostructures or Pt catalysts are synthesized in the developments for fuel cell technologies for energy and environment technologies [1-6]. Therefore, scientists are trying to explain critical questions, and deal with critical issues of catalytic materials and tech- nologies for fuel cells. Traditionally, the Pt or Pd catalysts have been used in the anodes, the cathodes in fuel cells inte- grated with membranes technologies with a very high cost [7, 8]. The main reasons for their uses in fuel cells are that Pt or Pd based catalysts exhibit very good catalytic properties of hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in polymer electrolyte fuel cells (PEFCs) [9- 19]. Therefore, the developments of fuel cell technology with low cost mainly depend on the catalytic properties, sta- bility, and durability of various Pt or Pd-based catalysts. In *Address correspondence to this author at the Department of Molecular and Material Sciences, Interdisciplinary Graduate School of Engineering Sci- ences, Kyushu University, 6-1 Kasugakouen, Kasuga, Fukuoka 816-8580, Japan; Tel: +81-(0)92-583-8835; Fax: +81-(0)92-583-8835; E-mail: nguyenviet_long@yahoo.com; nguyen.long.viet.071@m.kyushu-u.ac.jp recent years, various new Pt or Pd based catalysts have been developed for those goals of the realization of various fuel cells (FCs), phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC), polymer elec- trolyte membrane cells (PEMFC), and especially direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) for portable devices. Here, we have suggested that novel Pt or Pd based nanostructures show interesting catalytic properties and selectivity depend- ing on surface, size, morphology, composition, structure in various nanosized ranges of 1-10nm, 1-50nm, … 1-1000nm for great applications in catalysis, medicine and biology. In particular, they exhibited large surface-to-volume and size quantum effects as well as surface, flat or rough surface structure, shape and morphology effects in the nanosized range of 10nm observed in electro-catalysis [3]. Therefore, various kinds of Pt or Pd based nanostructures or nanoparti- cles via chemistry or nano-chemistry can be controllably synthesized with target applications. In this critical review of recent patents, research results, and scientific discoveries, we have presented the controlled synthesis of Pt or Pd based nanoparticles via nano-chemistry for practical applications in various fuel cell technologies. The issues of the controlled synthesis of Pt or Pd based