Highly active and stable Pt electrocatalysts promoted by antimony-doped SnO2 supports for oxygen reduction reactions

Abstract

Alternative composite supports for platinum catalysts were synthesized from antimony doped tin dioxide (ATO) nanoparticles. In the range of the antimony content from 0 to 11mol%, the highest electrical conductivity of 1.1Scm−1 at 130°C was obtained for the 5mol% Sb ATO, from which composite supports composed of oxides and carbon and supported platinum catalysts were prepared. Using the pure oxide support, the Pt/ATO catalyst displayed superior specific activity and stability for the oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs). Low surface area of ATO caused poor dispersion of Pt particles compared to composite supports, which limited the mass activity of the supported catalysts. When the ATO composites were used as supports, the Pt/C-ATO catalysts showed significantly enhanced catalytic activity and durability for the ORR, attributable to the high ECSA and modified electronic structure of Pt by the ATO phase in the catalyst support.