Performance For Ethanol Electro-oxidation Research Articles

Understanding the electrocatalytic activity of Pt xSn y in direct ethanol fuel cells

In the present work, the activity of Pt x Sn y /C catalysts towards ethanol, acetaldehyde and acetic acid electrooxidation reactions is investigated for each one separately by means of cyclic voltammetry. To this purpose, a series of Pt x Sn y /C catalysts with different atomic ratio ( x: y = 2:1, 3:2, 1:1) and small particle size (∼3 nm) are fast synthesized by using the pulse microwave assisted polyol method. The catalysts are well dispersed over the carbon support based on the physicochemical characterization by means of XRD and TEM. Concerning the ethanol electrooxidation, it is found that the Sn addition strongly enhances Pt's electrocatalytic activity and the contributing effect of Sn depends on: (i) the Sn content and (ii) the operating temperature. More precisely, at lower temperatures, Sn-rich catalysts exhibit better ethanol electrooxidation performance while at higher temperatures Sn-poor catalysts give better performance. In the case of acetaldehyde electrooxidation, Pt 1Sn 1/C catalyst exhibits the highest activity at all the investigated temperatures; due to the role of Sn, which could effectively remove C 2 species and inhibit the poison formation by supplying oxygen-containing species. Finally, it is found that the Pt x Sn y /C catalysts are almost inactive (little current was measured) towards the acetic acid electrooxidation. The above findings indicate that Sn cannot substantially promote the electrooxidation of acetic acid to C 1 species.

Electro-oxidation of ethanol using PtRuBi/C electrocatalyst prepared by borohydride reduction

Pt/C, PtRu/C, PtBi/C, and PtRuBi/C electrocatalysts (20 wt.% metal loading) were prepared by borohydride reduction using H2PtCl6·6H2O, RuCl3·xH2O, and Bi(NO3)3·5H2O as metal sources and Vulcan XC 72 as support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and thermogravimetric analysis. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied in sulfuric acid solution by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The electrochemical studies showed that PtRuBi/C (50:40:10) electrocatalyst has superior performance for ethanol electro-oxidation at room temperature compared to the other electrocatalysts. Preliminary tests at 100 °C on a single direct ethanol fuel cell also confirm the results obtained by electrochemical techniques.

Effect of Ni on PtRu/C Catalyst Performance for Ethanol Electrooxidation in Acidic Medium

This research is aimed to improve the utilization and activity of anodic catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation. The direct ethanol fuel cell anodic catalysts, PtRuNi/C and PtRu/C, were prepared by...

Electrooxidation of ethanol using Pt rare earth–C electrocatalysts prepared by an alcohol reduction process

Pt rare earth–C electrocatalysts (rare earth = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, and Lu) were prepared by an alcohol reduction process using ethylene glycol as reduction agent and solvent and Vulcan XC 72 as support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and cyclic voltammetry. The electrooxidation of ethanol was studied in acid medium by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry using thin porous coating technique. The XRD patterns indicate that all electrocatalysts present the face-centered cubic structure of Pt and the presence of rare earth hydroxides. All electrocatalysts prepared by this methodology showed superior performance for ethanol electrooxidation at room temperature compared to Pt–C.

Adsorption and oxidation of ethanol on colloid-based Pt/C, PtRu/C and Pt3Sn/C catalysts: In situ FTIR spectroscopy and on-line DEMS studies

The interaction of colloid-based, carbon supported Pt/C (40 wt%), PtRu/C (45 wt%) and Pt3Sn/C (24 wt%) catalysts with ethanol and their performance for ethanol electrooxidation were investigated in model studies by electrochemical, in situ infrared spectroscopy and on-line differential electrochemical mass spectrometry measurements. The combined application of in situ spectroscopic techniques on realistic catalysts and under realistic reaction (DEMS, IR) and transport conditions (DEMS) yields new insight on mechanistic details of the reaction on these catalysts under the above reaction and transport conditions. Based on these results, the addition of Sn or Ru, though beneficial for the overall activity for ethanol oxidation, does not enhance the activity for C-C bond breaking. Dissociative adsorption of ethanol to form CO2 is more facile on the Pt/C catalyst than on PtRu/C and Pt3Sn/C catalysts within the potential range of technical interests (<0.6 V), but Pt/C is rapidly blocked by an inhibiting CO adlayer. In all cases acetaldehyde and acetic acid are dominant products, CO2 formation contributes less than 2% to the total current. The higher ethanol oxidation current density on the Pt3Sn/C catalyst at these potentials results from higher yields of C2 products, not from an improved complete ethanol oxidation to CO2.