Abstract
Platinum nanoparticles with a size distribution ranging from 3 to 6 nm were synthesized at room temperature by chemical reduction of platinum chloride, using NaBH4 as the reduction reagent and poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone) as the stabilizer. The Pt colloidal nanoparticles obtained were deposited onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) synthesized by the chemical vapor deposition method. Pt/MWCNTs prepared with a metal content of 20 wt% was evaluated as the anode electrocatalyst in a 9 cm2 direct ethanol fuel cell using PtRu/C as the cathode material. Both electrodes had a metal loading of 1 mgPt cm−2. Polarization curves showed higher electroactivity for Pt/MWCNTs than commercial material (Pt/C).
Graphical Abstract
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Oh Y, Kim S-K, Peck D-H, J-s Jang, Kim J, Jung D-H (2014) Improved performance using tungsten carbide/carbon nanofiber based anode catalysts for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells. Int J Hydrog Energy 39:15907–15912. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.02.010
Song SQ, Zhou WJ, Zhou ZH, Jiang LH, Sun GQ, Xin Q, Leontidis V, Kontou S, Tsiakaras P (2005) Direct ethanol PEM fuel cells: the case of platinum based anodes. Int J Hydrog Energy 30:995–1001. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2004.11.006
Figueiredo MC, Sorsa O, Doan N, Pohjalainen E, Hildebrand H, Schmuki P, Wilson BP, Kallio T (2015) Direct alcohol fuel cells: increasing platinum performance by modification with sp-group metals. J Power Sources 275:341–350. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.11.034
He Z, Chen J, Liu D, Zhou H, Kuang Y (2004) Electrodeposition of Pt–Ru nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes and their electrocatalytic properties for methanol electrooxidation. Diam Relat Mater 13:1764–1770. doi:10.1016/j.diamond.2004.03.004
Alzate V, Fatih K, Wang H (2011) Effect of operating parameters and anode diffusion layer on the direct ethanol fuel cell performance. J Power Sources 196:10625–10631. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.08.080
Basri S, Kamarudin SK, Daud WRW, Yaakub Z (2010) Nanocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC). Int J Hydrog Energy 35:7957–7970. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.05.111
Kamavaram V, Veedu V, Kannan AM (2009) Synthesis and characterization of platinum nanoparticles on in situ grown carbon nanotubes based carbon paper for proton exchange membrane fuel cell cathode. J Power Sources 188:51–56. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.11.084
Tsai M-C, Yeh T-K, Tsai C-H (2011) Methanol oxidation efficiencies on carbon-nanotube-supported platinum and platinum–ruthenium nanoparticles prepared by pulsed electrodeposition. Int J Hydrog Energy 36:8261–8266. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2011.03.107
Wang X, Li W, Chen Z, Waje M, Yan Y (2006) Durability investigation of carbon nanotube as catalyst support for proton exchange membrane fuel cell. J Power Sources 158:154–159. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2005.09.039
Li W, Wang X, Chen Z, Waje M, Yan Y (2005) Carbon nanotube film by filtration as cathode catalyst support for proton-exchange membrane fuel cell. Langmuir 21:9386–9389. doi:10.1021/la051124y
Yang G-W, Gao G-Y, Zhao G-Y, Li H-L (2007) Effective adhesion of Pt nanoparticles on thiolated multi-walled carbon nanotubes and their use for fabricating electrocatalysts. Carbon 45(15):3036–3041. doi:10.1016/j.carbon.2007.06.021
Liu Z-L, Huang R, Deng Y-J, Chen D-H, Huang L, Cai Y-R, Wang Q, Chen S-P, Sun S-G (2013) Catalyst of Pt nanoparticles loaded on multi-walled carbon nanotubes with high activity prepared by electrodeposition without supporting electrolyte. Electrochim Acta 112:919–926. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2013.05.139
Jiang Z, Z-j Jiang, Meng Y (2011) High catalytic performance of Pt nanoparticles on plasma treated carbon nanotubes for electrooxidation of ethanol in a basic solution. Appl Surf Sci 257:2923–2928. doi:10.1016/j.apsusc.2010.10.091
Cai J, Huang Y, Huang B, Zheng S, Guo Y (2014) Enhanced activity of Pt nanoparticle catalysts supported on manganese oxide-carbon nanotubes for ethanol oxidation. Int J Hydrog Energy 39:798–807. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2013.10.108
Rodriguez JR, Félix RM, Reynoso EA, Gochi-Ponce Y, Gómez YV, Moyado SF, Alonso-Núñez G (2014) Synthesis of Pt and Pt-Fe nanoparticles supported on MWCNTs used as electrocatalysts in the methanol oxidation reaction. J Energy Chem 23:483–490. doi:10.1016/S2095-4956(14)60175-3
Guinel MJF, Brodusch N, Verde-GÓMez Y, Escobar-Morales B, Gauvin R (2013) Multi-walled carbon nanotubes decorated by platinum catalyst nanoparticles—examination and microanalysis using scanning and transmission electron microscopies. J Microsc 252:49–57. doi:10.1111/jmi.12067
Escobar Morales B, Gamboa SA, Pal U, Guardián R, Acosta D, Magaña C, Mathew X (2010) Synthesis and characterization of colloidal platinum nanoparticles for electrochemical applications. Int J Hydrog Energy 35:4215–4221. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2010.01.040
Escobar B, Barbosa R, Miki Yoshida M, Verde Gomez Y (2013) Carbon nanotubes as support of well dispersed platinum nanoparticles via colloidal synthesis. J Power Sources 243:88–94. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2013.05.123
Camara GA, Iwasita T (2005) Parallel pathways of ethanol oxidation: the effect of ethanol concentration. J Electroanal Chem 578:315–321. doi:10.1016/j.jelechem.2005.01.013
Zhao H, Li L, Yang J, Zhang Y (2008) Nanostructured polypyrrole/carbon composite as Pt catalyst support for fuel cell applications. J Power Sources 184:375–380. doi:10.1016/j.jpowsour.2008.03.024
Sun C-L, Tang J-S, Brazeau N, Wu J-J, Ntais S, Yin C-W, Chou H-L, Baranova EA (2015) Particle size effects of sulfonated graphene supported Pt nanoparticles on ethanol electrooxidation. Electrochim Acta 162:282–289. doi:10.1016/j.electacta.2014.12.099
Weijiang Zhou ZZ, Song Shuqin, Li Wenzhen, Gongquan Sun PT, Xin Qin (2003) Pt based anode catalysts for direct ethanol fuel cells. Appl Catal B 46:273–285
Lamy C, Belgsir EM, Léger JM (2001) Electrocatalytic oxidation of aliphatic alcohols: application to the direct alcohol fuel cell (DAFC). J Appl Electrochem 31:799–809. doi:10.1023/a:1017587310150
Acknowledgments
The authors wish to thank Daniel Moreno for the electrochemical characterizations and acknowledge the financial support received from CONACYT-213373 and TNM under Grant No. 5201.14-P. The authors are also grateful for the support from the Laboratorio Nacional de Nanotecnología (CIMAV). B. Escobar wishes to thank the CONACYT-Cátedras program.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Ordóñez, L.C., Escobar, B., Barbosa, R. et al. Enhanced performance of direct ethanol fuel cell using Pt/MWCNTs as anodic electrocatalyst. J Appl Electrochem 45, 1205–1210 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-015-0854-8
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-015-0854-8