Abstract
The electrochemical reduction of oxygen on binary Pt–Ru alloy deposited onto microporous–mesoporous carbon support was studied in 0.5 M H2SO4 solution using cyclic voltammetry, rotating disk electrode (RDE), and impedance method. The microporous–mesoporous carbon support C(Mo2C) with specific surface area of 1,990 m2 g−1 was prepared from Mo2C at 600 °C using the chlorination method. Analysis of X-ray diffraction, photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy data confirms that the Pt–Ru alloy has been formed and the atomic fraction of Ru in the alloy was ∼0.5. High cathodic oxygen reduction current densities (−160 A m−2 at 3,000 rev min−1) have been measured by the RDE method. The O2 diffusion constant (1.9 ± 0.3 × 10−5 cm2 s−1) and the number of electrons transferred per electroreduction of one O2 molecule (∼4), calculated from the Levich and Koutecky–Levich plots, are in agreement with literature data. Similarly to the Ru/RuO2 system in H2SO4 aqueous solution, nearly capacitive behavior was observed from impedance data at very low ac frequencies, explained by slow electrical double-layer formation limited by the adsorption of reaction intermediates and products into microporous–mesoporous Pt–Ru–C(Mo2C) catalyst. All results obtained for C(Mo2C) and Pt–Ru–C(Mo2C) electrodes have been compared with corresponding data for commercial carbon VULCAN® XC72 (C(Vulcan)) and Pt–Ru–C(Vulcan) electrodes processed and measured in the same experimental conditions. Higher activity for C(Mo2C) and Pt–Ru–C(Mo2C) has been demonstrated.
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Acknowledgments
This work was supported by the Estonian Target Research project SF0180002s08, Estonian Energy Technology Program project SLOKT10209T, Estonian Center of Excellence project: High technology materials for sustainable development (3.2.0101.11-0030), and ETF Grant 8267. The authors thank Mr. J. Aruväli and Prof. K. Kirsimägi for performing the XRD and XRF measurements and analysis of data and Prof. K. Kontturi for the HRTEM measurements.
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Vaarmets, K., Sepp, S., Nerut, J. et al. Electrochemical and physical characterization of Pt–Ru alloy catalyst deposited onto microporous–mesoporous carbon support derived from Mo2C at 600 °C. J Solid State Electrochem 17, 1729–1741 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2030-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10008-013-2030-6