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Ethanol electro-oxidation on carbon-supported Pt3Sn/C, Pt3Cu/C and PtSnCu/C catalysts: CV and in situ FTIR study

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Abstract

Carbon-supported PtSnCu/C, Pt3Sn/C, Pt3Cu/C and Pt/C electrocatalysts were synthesized by chemical reduction of metal precursors in ethanol reflux. These materials were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and applied to the ethanol electro-oxidation in acidic medium. The reaction kinetics was studied by cyclic voltammetry and the mechanism was explored by in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The investigated materials presented chemical composition close to the nominal ones. XRD results indicated the formation of solid solution of Pt and Cu and/or Sn in the bi and tri-metallic materials. The particle size distribution was narrow with mean particle size of around 3 nm. A homogeneous distribution of the nanoparticles over the carbon support was evidenced. The investigated catalysts were active towards the ethanol oxidation reaction in acidic medium and led to the formation of CO2 and carbonyl compounds, as evidenced by FTIR. PtSnCu/C and Pt3Cu/C started to produce CO2 at 0.70 V vs. RHE, while this product was detected only at 0.75 V and 0.80 V vs. RHE on Pt and Pt3Sn/C, respectively, suggesting that Cu improves the dissociative adsorption of ethanol.

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Acknowledgements

The authors thank Fundação de Amparo a Pesquisa do Estado Goiás (FAPEG) and Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) for financial support Proc. 554569/2010-8 and Proc. 475609/2008-5). In particular, M.M. Magalhães thanks the FAPEG for the scholarship (88881.134711/2016-01). We would also like to thank Tatiane Oliveira dos Santos from Laboratório de Microscopia (LABMIC) da Universidade Federal de Goiás, Goiânia-GO, Brazil for her assistance with the JEOL, JEM‑2010 HRTEM microscope.

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  1. M. M. Magalhães

    Present address: Pontifícia Universidade Católica de Goiás, Avenida Universitária 1440, Goiânia, GO, 74605-010, Brazil

  2. J. F. Gomes

    Present address: Departamento de Engenharia Química, Universidade Federal de São Carlos, Rodovia Washington Luiz, km 235, São Carlos, SP, 13565-905, Brazil

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Química, Universidade Federal de Goiás, Avenida Esperança s/n, Goiânia, GO, 74690-900, Brazil

    M. M. Magalhães & F. Colmati

  2. Instituto de Química de São Carlos, Universidade de São Paulo, São Carlos, SP, Brazil

    J. F. Gomes & G. Tremiliosi-Filho

  3. Departamento de Química, Universidade Federal do Maranhão, Avenida dos Portugueses 1966, São Luís, MA, 65080-805, Brazil

    Patrick B. S. de Figueiredo & R. B. de Lima

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Magalhães, M.M., Gomes, J.F., Tremiliosi-Filho, G. et al. Ethanol electro-oxidation on carbon-supported Pt3Sn/C, Pt3Cu/C and PtSnCu/C catalysts: CV and in situ FTIR study. J Appl Electrochem 51, 173–181 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10800-020-01491-4

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