noble metal-based metal alloy catalyst, evaluation of such a catalyst and process for the preparation of such a catalyst

The technique of the present invention achieves a simple and accurate evaluation of the performance of a fuel cell and enables it to produce a high-performance electrode catalyst and a high-performance fuel cell. The method tragert platinum, a noble metal, and iron, and a base metal on carbon with a large specific surface area and heats the carbon with platinum and iron to a specific temperature to reduce iron. A resulting platinum-iron alloy electrode catalyst exerts excellent catalytic functions. A fuel cell using this electrode catalyst has a high IR-compensation voltage. The amount of carbon monoxide is adsorbed by the new electrode catalyst is not less than 14 Ncc per one gram of platinum. The atomic number ratio of iron (Fe) to platinum (Pt) in the catalyst is not less than 0.14 by EDX analysis, and the ratio of the binding number of Pt atoms to iron atoms to the total bond number that refers to Pt atoms, is not less than 0.10 by EXAFS analysis. Each produced electrode catalyst is evaluated by measuring these data. The fuel cell including the electrode catalyst having the favorable outcome of the evaluation, ensures the desired benefits.