Abstract
The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied over nanosized Pt and different compositions of PtRu catalysts synthesized by the borohydride reduction method. Physicochemical characterizations of the catalyst material were made by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) coupled with EDX analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD patterns showed that Ru induces a contraction of the Pt lattice. EDX provided the composition of binary catalysts while TEM images indicated uniform distribution of discrete nanoparticle of the catalysts with narrow range. The electro-catalytic activities of the materials towards ethanol oxidation were investigated through electrochemical techniques, viz. cyclic voltammetry (CV), potentiodynamic polarization, chronoamperometry (CA) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) at room temperature. The onset potential of ethanol electro-oxidation is lowered on bimetallic PtRu catalysts compared to that on Pt alone. Of the investigated catalyst compositions the one with the highest electrocatalytic activity was found to be Pt82Ru18. This enhancement towards ethanol oxidation is explained on the basis of a structural effect and modified bi-functional mechanism.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Arico A S, Creti P, Kim H, Mantegna R, Giordano N and Antonucci V 1996 J. Electrochem. Soc. 143 3950
Chen G L, Sun S G, Chen S P and Zhou Z Y 2001 Chinese Appl. Chem. 18 432
Chu D and Gilman S 1996 J. Electrochem. Soc. 143 1686
Colmati F, Lizacano-Valbuena W H, Camara G A, Ticianelli E A and Gonzalez E R 2002 J. Braz. Chem. Soc. 13 474
Colmati F, Antolini E and Gonzalez E R 2007 J. Electrochem. Soc. 154 B39
Delime F, Léger J-M and Lamy C 1999 J. Appl. Electrochem. 29 1249
De Souza J P I, Queiroz S L, Bergmaski K, Gonzalez E R and Nart F C 2002 J. Phys. Chem. B106 9825
Frelink T, Visscher W and Van Veen J A R 1995 Surface Sci. 335 353
Fujiwara N, Tsiakaras P and Stimming U 1999 J. Electroanal. Chem. 472 120
Hogarth M P and Ralph T R 2002 Platinum Metals Review 46 146
Iwasita T 2002 Electrochim. Acta 47 3663
Iwasita T and Pastor E 1994 Electrochim. Acta 39 531, 547
Janssen M M P and Moolhuysen J 1977 J. Catal. 46 289
Laborade H, Rezzouk A, Legér J-M, Lamy C, Srinivasan S, MacDonald D D and Khandkar A C (eds) 1994 J. Electrochem. Soc. 94 275
Lamy C, Belgsir E M and Leger J M 2001 J. Appl. Electrochem. 31 799
Lamy C, Lima A, Le Rhum V, Delime F, Contanceau C and Leger J-M 2002 J. Power Sources 105 283
Li H, Sun G, Cao L, Jiang L and Xin Q 2007 Electrochim. Acta 52 6622
Liu Z, Ling X Y, Su X, Lee J Y and Gan L M 2005 J. Power Sources 149 1
Mahmood T, Williams J O, Miles R and McNicol B D 1981 J. Catal. 72 218
McNicol B D and Short R T 1978 J. Electroanal. Chem. 92 115
O’Hayre R P, Cha S-W, Colella W and Prinz F B 2006 Fuel cell fundamentals (New York: John Wiley & Sons, Inc)
Oliveria Neto A, Giz M J, Perez J, Ticianelli E A and Gonzalez E R 2002 J. Electrochem. Soc. 149 A272
Pacheo V, Stantos D and Tremiliosi-Filho G Platinum/osmium as a catalyst for ethanol oxidation (http://www.Arofe.army.mil/conference/recent abstrac/200th meeting/symposia/h1/1051.pdf)
Rightmire R A, Rowlad R L, Boos D L and Beals D L 1964 J. Electrochem. Soc. 111 242
Spinace E V, Neto A O, Vasconcelos T R R and Linardi M 2004 J. Power Sources 137 17
Song S Q et al 2005 Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 30 995
Sugimoto W, Aoyama K, Kawaguchi T, Murakami Y and Takasu Y 2005 J. Electroanal. Chem. 576 215
Vigier F, Coutanceau C, Perrard A, Belgsir E M and Lamy C 2004 J. Appl. Electrochem. 34 439
Volkmar M S, Remo I, Elena P and Sergio G 1996 J. Phys. Chem. 100 17901
Watanabe M and Motoo S 1975a Electroanal. Chem. & Interf. Electrochem. 60 267
Watanabe M and Motoo S 1975b J. Electroanal. Chem. 60 275
Wasmus S and Kuver A 1999 J. Electroanal. Chem. 461 14
Yang C et al 2001 Electrochem. Solid State Lett. 4 A31
Zhou W J et al 2004 J. Power Sources 131 217
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Datta, J., Singh, S., Das, S. et al. A comprehensive study on the effect of Ru addition to Pt electrodes for direct ethanol fuel cell. Bull Mater Sci 32, 643–652 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-009-0099-4
Received:
Revised:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12034-009-0099-4