Ternary PtMnX/C (X=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo and, Sn) Alloy Catalysts for Ethanol Electrooxidation

Abstract

In this study, ternary PtMnX/C (X=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Mo and, Sn) alloys catalysts have been synthesized and characterized by ICP, XRD, TEM and cyclic voltammetry. XRD studies showed that PtMnX/C (X=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and Mo) alloys have been formed without significant free Mn and X co-catalysts. For PtMnSn/C, in addition to alloy formation, significant free Sn-oxides are present. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry of the ternary alloys reveled that except PtMnSn/C which illustrate moderate activity, all the catalysts PtMnX/C (X=Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and, Mo) showed superior electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol electrooxidation compared to the binary alloy PtMn/C precursor. Furthermore, shifts of the onset potentials of ethanol oxidation toward less positive values were also recorded demonstrating a facilitated oxidation with the ternary alloys compared to PtMn/C binary alloy precursor.