Platinum Metal Alloys in Electrocatalysis

Abstract

The relative electrocatalytic activities of some binary platinum alloys for the oxidation and ionisation of hydrogen and the anodic oxidation of methanol are briefly described. For the hydrogen electrode reaction in acid solution the ruthenium-platinum and rhodium-platinum alloys are generally not as active as bright platinum itself. This is also found for the anodic oxidation of methanol in acid solution. At the low voltametric “sweep” rates used in the latter experiments the activities are somewhat greater on the reverse scan, from high to low positive potentials, than on the forward scan.