One-Step Preparation of Nitrogen-Doped Platinum-Based Catalysts for Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ethanol

Ruihua Guo,Xiao Tian,Kuochih Chou,Lili Guan,Shengli An,Na An,Jieyu Zhang

doi:10.3390/catal11111264

Abstract

Pt/nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide (N-GO) catalysts were prepared by one-step microwave-assisted ethylene glycol reduction using N-methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) as the nitrogen source. Nitrogen doping in GO and the deposition of highly dispersed platinum nanoparticles were completed at the same time. The effect of adding NMP on the microstructure and the electrocatalytic performance of Pt/N-GO catalysts were studied. The results show that Pt/N-GO catalysts have better particle size distribution and electrocatalytic performance than undoped catalysts. When the ratio of GO to NMP reaches 1:200, the peak current density of the catalyst is about 3 times that of the non-nitrogen-doped Pt/GO and Pt/C(JM) catalysts, indicating that the electrocatalytic performance of this catalyst is the best. Therefore, the development of a one-step synthesis of Pt/N-GO catalysts has a broad application prospects in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs).

Highlights

Fuel cells (FCs), a new type of power generation equipment, are able to convert the chemical energy of fuels and oxidants into electrical energy, and have the advantages of high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and low noise [1,2]
It is widely known that Pt, widely used in direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) catalysts, is precious and scarce, and the toxicity of CO and CO-like intermediates generated by the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) usually inactivates Pt quickly [3]
Taking a modified catalyst carrier as a starting point, nitrogen-doped graphenesupported Pt catalysts were successfully synthesized by microwave-assisted ethylene glycol reduction

Summary

Introduction

Fuel cells (FCs), a new type of power generation equipment, are able to convert the chemical energy of fuels and oxidants into electrical energy, and have the advantages of high efficiency, environmental friendliness, and low noise [1,2]. N-doped graphene may have some specific pore structures that can increase the active adsorption site density on the graphene surface, so that the adsorption of metal particles or gas on the graphene surface is enhanced This feature causes N-doped graphene to possess superior electrochemical properties, and it can be developed into a high-performance electrode material, which is expected to be increasingly widely used in energy devices. In comparison with the undoped PtxFe100−x/graphene catalyst, PtxFe100−x nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped graphene showed smaller particle size and the catalytic oxidation performance is significantly improved. Electrocatalysts based on nitrogen-doped graphene have potential application prospects, the research and application of nitrogen-doped graphene-supported noble metal catalysts in DEFCs are still comparatively scarce, the mechanism of action of the catalysts is still not clear, and the synthesis and preparation processes are complex, hindering their application. Catalysts 2021, 11, 1264 significantly improved after proper nitrogen doping, which is highly significant for the development of new, efficient and cheap Pt-based catalysts for FCs

Results and Discussion

SEM and EDS Characterization of the Catalysts

Characterization of the Catalysts via I–t Curves

Electrochemical Measurement Scheme

Conclusions