Supported Platinum Catalysts Research Articles

Ceria-zirconia solid solution supported platinum catalysts for toluene oxidation: Studying the improved catalytic activity by tungsten addition

The catalytic oxidation of toluene at low temperatures is still an urgent issue to be solved. The key to addressing this issue is the preparation of a high-efficiency catalyst. Herein, ceria-zirconia (CZ) solid solution supported platinum (Pt) catalysts were prepared by citric acid (C)-assisted impregnation method. Surprisingly, the catalytic oxidation activity of the catalyst for toluene combustion significantly improved after introducing W into Pt-C/CZ. In addition, introducing W improved the redox property of the Pt-based catalyst, optimized the distribution of the oxygen vacancies, increased the average particle size of the catalyst particle, modulated the valence state and electronic structure of Pt, elevated the surface lattice oxygen activity, increased the number of surface moderate acidic sites and enhanced toluene adsorption capacity. In this study, the electronic structure of the Pt active site is modulated by introducing a W promoter, providing valuable guidance for the rational design of efficient noble metal catalysts.

N-doped titanium oxide/carbon composite as supports for platinum catalysts in highly efficient methanol oxidation

The commercialization of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) faces significant challenges due to the susceptibility of conventional platinum-based catalysts to poisoning by intermediates such as CO and HCOO− generated during the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). This study details the synthesis of a highly porous titanium dioxide/carbon composite (TCC) using NH2-MIL-125(Ti) (MIL = Matérial Institut Lavoisier) as a precursor. To enhance the conductivity and catalytic properties of TCC, a nitriding reaction is conducted in an NH3 atmosphere, producing a nitrogen-doped titanium oxide/carbon composite (N-TCC). The resulting N-TCC is employed as a support for a platinum catalyst to improve MOR performance in DMFCs. The Pt/N-TCC catalyst demonstrates high catalytic performance, achieving a mass activity of 537 mA mg−1 for the MOR, marking a 39 % increase over the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the Pt/N-TCC catalyst exhibits a low onset potential for CO oxidation, a higher If/Ib ratio, and greater stability in chronoamperometry test, indicating high resistance to CO poisoning and enhanced chemical stability. Therefore, N-TCC can be used as a promising support for Pt-based catalysts in DMFC applications.

Bifunctionally Hydrophobic MOF‐Supported Platinum Catalyst for the Removal of Ultralow Concentration Hydrogen Isotope

Bifunctionally Hydrophobic <scp>MOF</scp>‐Supported Platinum Catalyst for the Removal of Ultralow Concentration Hydrogen Isotope

CO2‐Mediated Hydrogen Energy Release‐Storage Enabled by Arc‐Discharge‐Synthesized High‐Dispersion Platinum Catalysts

AbstractDeveloping and fabricating a heterogeneous material for efficient dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA) to H2 coupled with hydrogenation of CO2 back to FA is a promising strategy to forming a carbon‐neutral CO2‐mediated hydrogen energy release‐storage system, which remains challenging. Herein, a facile one‐step ultrahigh‐temperature method of arc‐discharge route for synthesizing efficient single‐crystal α‐MoC supported platinum catalysts with high dispersion of Pt single atoms (SAs), nanoclusters (NCs), and nanoparticles (NPs) is reported. These catalysts exhibit remarkable performance for the adsorption properties and chemical conversion of small molecules including room‐temperature FA dehydrogenation, CO2 hydrogenation to FA (formate), and low‐temperature CO oxidation reactions. The enhanced electron transfer from MoC to active Pt species improves catalyst's surface electron density, thus modulating the chemical adsorption of these small molecules. The engineered 0.1Pt/MoC with Pt SAs shows an outstanding FA dehydrogenation efficiency, with ca. 100% FA conversion and an initial TOF of up to 7739 h−1 at 25 °C. The versatile 0.1Pt/MoC also displays the ability for converting CO2 hydrogenation back to the hydrogen storage carrier FA (formate) with 88.3% yield under mild conditions. Moreover, in‐depth insights into the material microstructure, Pt−MoC electronic interactions, reaction‐dependent particle size effect, and adsorption energy are comprehensively investigated.

Decomposition and migration behavior of Pt salt on Al2O3 and SiO2 upon calcination studied by XAFS and UV–visible spectroscopy using a laboratory-type spectrometer

Thermal decomposition behavior of two kinds of Pt salts, namely, H2PtCl6 and Pt(NH3)4Cl2, on amorphous SiO2 and γ-Al2O3 under air to prepare supported platinum catalysts up to 773 K was investigated by in-situ laboratory X-ray absorption fine structure (XANES/EXAFS) and UV–Vis spectroscopy. Changing the oxidation state of platinum species and the coordination environment, the migration to vacant sites or aggregation process on the surface were discussed. The supported H2PtCl6 was reduced to Pt2+ species under air flow around 573 K by eliminating Cl/O ligand atoms until 573 K. High-temperature treatment caused the re-oxidation of the supported Pt species on Al2O3, but it did not affect the oxidation state of SiO2-supported species. The formed platinum oxychloride on Al2O3 was stable under air, but it partly decomposed to atomic-like species above 673 K, followed by migration on the surface, trapping at the cation vacant site because of its defect spinel structure. The lattice oxygen atoms of Al2O3 adjacent to Pt atom captured might cause the re-oxidation, and molecular oxygen was not the oxidant. The partly formed atomic-like species migrates on the SiO2 surface, followed by aggregation to form metallic Pt particles above 573 K.

Nitrogen-functionalized catalyst synthesized using spent coffee ground biochar-cobalt hybrid for oxygen reduction reaction via pyrolysis and ball-milling

In this work, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts were developed from a precursor of spent coffee ground-based biochar. Nitrogen doping was achieved via urea addition preceding a pyrolysis synthesis process, yielding nitrogen-doped biochar (NDB). Cobalt was deposited onto the NDB surface using a non-conventional ball-milling procedure. The microstructure of the synthesized samples was studied through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), where a rather distorted surface, highlighted by prominent wrinkles (which doubled the surface area at 50.58 m2/g), was shown for nitrogen-doped samples. Moreover, the high energy ball-milling technique shows an almost perfect coverage of cobalt nanoparticles on the biochar surface through SEM/EDS and Raman results. Additionally, electrochemical testing was conducted using cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Cyclic voltammetry measurements conducted under nitrogen (inert) and oxygen-saturated alkaline solution (0.1 M KOH) conditions showed that nitrogen doping enhances the oxygen reduction reaction current (-1 vs -0.59 mA.cm−1 at -0.3 V vs Hg/HgO) and slightly reduces the onset potential compared to pristine biochar. Depositing cobalt onto the NDB surface had a minor adverse effect on the onset potential, but significantly increased the oxygen reduction reaction current, reaching a value of -2.09 mA.cm−2 at -0.3 V vs Hg/HgO. All catalysts were compared to a commercial carbon supported platinum catalyst (Pt10%C) to showcase the potential room of improvement for the developed catalysts.

Kinetics insights into size effects of carbon nanotubes’ growth and their supported platinum catalysts for 4,6-dinitroresorcinol hydrogenation

Size effects are a well-documented phenomenon in heterogeneous catalysis, typically attributed to alterations in geometric and electronic properties. In this study, we investigate the influence of catalyst size in the preparation of carbon nanotube (CNT) and the hydrogenation of 4,6-dinitroresorcinol (DNR) using Fe2O3 and Pt catalysts, respectively. Various Fe2O3/Al2O3 catalysts were synthesized for CNT growth through catalytic chemical vapor deposition. Our findings reveal a significant influence of Fe2O3 nanoparticle size on the structure and yield of CNT. Specifically, CNT produced with Fe2O3/Al2O3 containing 28% (mass) Fe loading exhibits abundant surface defects, an increased area for metal-particle immobilization, and a high carbon yield. This makes it a promising candidate for DNR hydrogenation. Utilizing this catalyst support, we further investigate the size effects of Pt nanoparticles on DNR hydrogenation. Larger Pt catalysts demonstrate a preference for 4,6-diaminoresorcinol generation at (1 0 0) sites, whereas smaller Pt catalysts are more susceptible to electronic properties. The kinetics insights obtained from this study have the potential to pave the way for the development of more efficient catalysts for both CNT synthesis and DNR hydrogenation.

Efficient synthesis of benzyl-protected cyclic lysine on Pt/m-Al2O3 catalysts and its application in functional nylon-6 copolymers production

Functional nylon-6 polymers, particularly those with special properties such as antibacterial, flame retardant, and specialized thermal properties, have a wide range of applications. However, the efficient synthesis of these polymer monomers has long remained a challenge. Benzyl-protected cyclic lysine (BCL) is a potentially functional monomer, and this article proposes an efficient method for the synthesis of benzyl-protected cyclic lysine on a supported platinum catalyst. Compared to existing techniques, this approach offers higher synthesis efficiency and sustainability. Pt/m-Al2O3 (microspherical Al2O3) catalysts were prepared using a vacuum impregnation method and showed good activity and selectivity in the production of benzyl-protected cyclic lysine. The conversion rate of α-amino-ε-caprolactam (α-ACL) was 100%, and the selectivity of BCL was 96.0%. The Pt/m-Al2O3 catalyst maintained good stability over multiple reaction cycles. The reaction mechanism and thermodynamics of functionalized α-ACL were also investigated. The copolymer synthesized with the prepared BCL showed similar structure and thermal stability to pure nylon-6, indicating possible unique functional properties. This study provides a route for the synthesis of cyclic lysine protected with various groups and its potential applications in the field of polymer chemistry.

Bioproduction of cerium-bearing magnetite and application to improve carbon-black supported platinum catalysts

BackgroundBiogeochemical processing of metals including the fabrication of novel nanomaterials from metal contaminated waste streams by microbial cells is an area of intense interest in the environmental sciences.ResultsHere we focus on the fate of Ce during the microbial reduction of a suite of Ce-bearing ferrihydrites with between 0.2 and 4.2 mol% Ce. Cerium K-edge X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES) analyses showed that trivalent and tetravalent cerium co-existed, with a higher proportion of tetravalent cerium observed with increasing Ce-bearing of the ferrihydrite. The subsurface metal-reducing bacterium Geobacter sulfurreducens was used to bioreduce Ce-bearing ferrihydrite, and with 0.2 mol% and 0.5 mol% Ce, an Fe(II)-bearing mineral, magnetite (Fe(II)(III)2O4), formed alongside a small amount of goethite (FeOOH). At higher Ce-doping (1.4 mol% and 4.2 mol%) Fe(III) bioreduction was inhibited and goethite dominated the final products. During microbial Fe(III) reduction Ce was not released to solution, suggesting Ce remained associated with the Fe minerals during redox cycling, even at high Ce loadings. In addition, Fe L2,3 X-ray magnetic circular dichroism (XMCD) analyses suggested that Ce partially incorporated into the Fe(III) crystallographic sites in the magnetite. The use of Ce-bearing biomagnetite prepared in this study was tested for hydrogen fuel cell catalyst applications. Platinum/carbon black electrodes were fabricated, containing 10% biomagnetite with 0.2 mol% Ce in the catalyst. The addition of bioreduced Ce-magnetite improved the electrode durability when compared to a normal Pt/CB catalyst.ConclusionDifferent concentrations of Ce can inhibit the bioreduction of Fe(III) minerals, resulting in the formation of different bioreduction products. Bioprocessing of Fe-minerals to form Ce-containing magnetite (potentially from waste sources) offers a sustainable route to the production of fuel cell catalysts with improved performance.Graphical

The practical utility of ternary nickel-cobalt-manganese oxide-supported platinum catalysts for room-temperature oxidative removal of formaldehyde from the air

Formaldehyde (FA), a carcinogenic oxygenated volatile organic compound, is present ubiquitously in indoor air. As such, it is generally regarded as a critical target for air quality management. The oxidative removal of FA under dark and room-temperature (RT) conditions is of practical significance. A series of ternary nickel–cobalt-manganese oxide–supported platinum catalysts (Pt/NiCoMnO4) have been synthesized for FA oxidative removal at RT in the dark. Their RT conversion values for 50 ppm FA (XFA) at 5,964 h−1 gas hourly space velocity (GHSV) decrease in the following order: 1 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (100 %) > 0.5 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (25 %) > 0.05 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 (14 %) > NiCoMnO4 (6 %). The catalytic performance of 1 wt% Pt/NiCoMnO4 has been examined further under the control of various process variables (e.g., catalyst mass, flow rate, relative humidity, FA concentration, time on stream, and molecular oxygen content). The catalytic oxidation of FA at low temperatures (e.g., RT and 60 °C) is accounted for by Langmuir–Hinshelwood mechanism (single-site competitive-adsorption), while Mars van Krevelen kinetics is prevalent at higher temperatures. In situ diffuse-reflectance infrared Fourier-transform spectroscopy reveals that FA oxidation proceeds through a series of reaction intermediates such as DOM, HCOO–, and CO32–. Based on the density functional theory simulations, the unique electronic structures of the nearest surface atoms (platinum and nickel) are suggested to be responsible for the superior catalytic activity of Pt/NiCoMnO4.

Ammonia synthesis by plasma catalysis in an atmospheric RF helium plasma

The in-plasma-catalytic synthesis of ammonia from nitrogen and hydrogen admixed to a helium RF plasma is studied with infrared absorption spectroscopy, optical emission spectroscopy, and through chemical kinetics modeling. Sandblasted glass is used as support for iron, platinum, and copper catalysts up to a surface temperature of 150 ∘C . It is shown that the optimum ammonia production occurs at very small N2/(N2+H2) ratios with an increase of concentration with plasma power. The global kinetic modelling agrees well with the data for a variation of the N2+H2 admixture and the absorbed plasma power. The introduction of the catalyst enhances ammonia production by up to a factor of 2. Based on the comparison with the modelling, this is linked to a change in the electron kinetics due to the presence of the catalyst. It is postulated that introducing the catalyst increases the reduced electric field because it reduces the secondary electron emission coefficient. As a result, the dissociation of N2 is stimulated, thereby enhancing the NH3 formation. These experiments show that the impact of the catalyst on the plasma performance in noble gas-diluted RF plasmas can be more important than the impact of the plasma on any catalytic surface process.

Comprehensive Molecular Dynamics Study of Oxygen Diffusion in Carbon Mesopores: Insights for Designing Fuel-Cell Catalyst Supports.

Mesoporous carbon is often used as a support for platinum catalysts in polymer electrolyte fuel-cell catalyst layers. Mesopores in the carbon support improve the performance of fuel cells by inhibiting the adsorption of ionomer onto the catalyst particles. However, the mesopores may impair mass transport. Hence, understanding molecular behaviors in the pores is essential to optimizing the mesopore structures. Specifically, it is crucial to understand the oxygen transport in the high-current region. In this study, the diffusion coefficients of oxygen molecules in carbon mesopores were calculated for various pore lengths, pore diameters, filling rates, and water contents in the ionomer via molecular dynamics simulations. The results show that oxygen diffusion slows by 2 orders of magnitude because of pore occlusion, and it slows down by an additional 1 or 2 orders of magnitude if ionomers are present in the pores. The occlusion can be theoretically predicted by considering the surface free energy. This theory provides some insight into mesoporous carbon designs; for instance, the theory suggests that narrow pores should be shortened to prevent occlusion. Slow diffusion in the presence of ionomers was attributed to the localization of oxygen at the dense ionomer-carbon interface. Thus, to improve oxygen transport properties, carbon surfaces and ionomer structures may be designed in such a manner as to prevent densification at the interface.

Low-temperature oxidative removal of benzene from the air using titanium carbide (MXene)-Supported platinum catalysts

MXenes are an emerging class of two-dimensional (2D) inorganic materials with great potential for versatile applications such as adsorption and catalysis. Here, we describe the synthesis of a platinized titanium carbide MXene (Pt@Ti3C2) catalyst with varying amounts of platinum (0.1%–2 wt.%) for the low-temperature oxidation of benzene, an aromatic volatile organic compound often found in industrial flue gas. A 1% formulation of Pt@Ti3C2–R allowed near-complete (97%) oxidation of benzene to CO2 at 225 °C with a steady-state reaction rate (r) of 0.119 mol g−1·h−1. This low-temperature catalytic oxidation reaction was promoted by an increase in the lattice oxygen (O*)/Pt2+ species (active sites) of 1%Pt@Ti3C2–R from 45.3/34.6% to 71.0/61.1% through pre-thermal reduction under H2 flow, as revealed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, temperature-programmed reduction, and in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy analyses. The cataltyic activity of 1% Pt@Ti3C2–R against benzene was assessed under the control of the key process variables (e.g., catalyst mass, flow rate, benzene concentration, relative humidity, and time-on-stream) to help optimize the oxidation reaction process. The results provide new insights into the use of platinum-based 2D MXene catalysts for low-temperature oxidative removal of benzene from the air.

Thermocatalytic oxidation of a binary mixture of formaldehyde and toluene at ambient levels by a titanium dioxide supported platinum catalyst

The thermocatalytic oxidative potential of various supported noble metal catalysts (SNMCs) is well-known for hazardous volatile organic compounds (VOCs), e.g., formaldehyde (FA) and toluene. However, little is known about SNMC performance against ambient VOC pollution with low concentration (subppm levels) relative to industrial effuluents with high concentrations (several hundred ppm). Here, the thermocatalytic oxidation performance of a titanium dioxide (TiO2)-supported platinum catalyst (Pt/TiO2) has been evaluated for a low-concentration binary mixture of FA and toluene at low temperatures and in the dark. A sample of TiO2 containing 1 wt% Pt with thermal reduction pre-treatment under hydrogen achieved 100 % conversion of FA (500 ppb) and toluene (100 ppb) at 130 °C and a gas hourly velocity of 59,701 h−1. Its catalytic activity was lowered by either a decrease in catalyst mass or an increase in VOC concentration, relative humidity, or flow rate. In situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy, density functional theory simulations, and molecular oxygen (O2) temperature–programmed desorption experiments were used to identify possible VOC oxidation pathways, reaction mechanisms, and associated surface phenomena. The present work is expected to offer insights into the utility of metal oxide-supported Pt catalysts for the low-temperature oxidative removal of gaseous VOCs in the dark, primarily for indoor air quality management.

Electrochemical Polymerization of a Novel Thiophene-Derived Monomer and Its Use as Support Material for Methanol Oxidation

This research, conductive polymer supported modified electrode system which was prepared for usage in direct methanol fuel cells. To test the behavior of these electrode system for methanol oxidation, cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CHR) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) methods were used as electrochemical methods. As the working electrode, pencil graphite electrode (PGE) was preferred because of its porous structure, good ion conductivity, practicality in application and ease of preparation and obtaining. Thiophene derivative 4,4')-2,2'-(diazen-1,2 diylbis(4,1 phenylene))bis(4 (thiophene-2-ylmethylene) oxazol-5(4H)-one), (DiAzBiPhBiTyOx) monomer was prepared and electrochemically polymerized by CV method in 0.01M TBAP and 0.05 HClO4 containing ACN solution on the surfaces of PGE. The spectroscopic characterization of the synthesized monomer was performed by NMR spectroscopy. Optimum polymerization conditions of monomer was determined according to scanning rate, potential range and acid density. The obtained modified electrode system (PGE/PDiAzBiPhBiTyOx) was doped with chloroplatinic acid hexahydrat-Pt2Cl6.6H2O (Pt) at different densities and the optimum catalyst density was determined as 3.25mM (PGE/3.25mMPt@PDiAzBiPhBiTyOx). The methanol oxidation performances of conductive polymer film, platinum and conductive polymer supported platinum catalyst systems were investigated separately. While the methanol oxidation responses of the conductive polymer film and platinum are almost similar, the methanol oxidation response of the platinum doped conductive polymer film catalyst system is higher. The modified electrode characterization was performed by CV, CHR and EIS methods. Furtheremore obtained modified electrode systems were characterized by FESEM/EDS, XRD to confirm the structures and morphologies. Also, the theoretical values such as electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and specific capacitance (Cs) were calculated in aqueous acidic solution with and without methanol. Cs values of the PGE/3.25mMPt@PDiAzBiPhBiTyOx electrode in aqueous acidic solution with and without methanol were 3.861 and 3x10-4Fg-1 respectively. Also, the electrochemical surface area values of the same electrode in aqueous acidic solution with and without methanol were 196.437 and 21.150m2g-1 respectively.

Light and oxygen caused degradation of carbon nanotubes supported platinum catalyst in storage

Light and oxygen caused degradation of carbon nanotubes supported platinum catalyst in storage

Comparison of different synthesis techniques of supported platinum catalysts and their sintering studies

Comparison of different synthesis techniques of supported platinum catalysts and their sintering studies

Nitrogen-doped porous alumina for supported metal catalysts: Sintering resistance effect

A protocol has been proposed for modifying a porous alumina support by NO treatment to increase the resistance of metal particles on the support to sintering. The stabilization effect by forming AlNxOy species has been clearly demonstrated for supported platinum catalysts.

(Invited) Lowering the Noble Metal Requirement for PEM Water Electrolysis: Membrane Electrode Assembly and Porous Transport Layer Design Considerations

The Net Zero Emission scenario proposed by the International Energy Agency projects a required electrolytic generation of hydrogen equivalent to 3600 GW by 2050 [1], averaging to an annual installation of ~130 GW/a between 2023 and 2050. If this were to be provided by proton exchange membrane based water electrolyzers (PEM-WEs) based on platinum catalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and iridium catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the current PEM-WE noble metal requirements of ~0.7 gIr/kW and ~0.3 gPt/kW [1] would have to be drastically reduced in view of the noble metal supply constraints. As argued previously, for PEM-WEs to be sustainable on such a large scale would require to achieve platinum and iridium loadings of ~0.05 mg/cm2 electrode [2,3]. While the former can be easily achieved due to the fast HER kinetics on Pt, the latter requires either ultra-thin OER catalyst layers or improved OER catalysts with a substantially reduced iridium packing density (in units of gIr/cm3 electrode) [2], like the recently developed catalyst with a hydrous iridium oxide shell supported on a titanium oxide core (IrOx/TiO2) [4,5].In this contribution, we will discuss the effect of the design of membrane electrode assemblies (MEAs) and of the adjacent porous transport layers on PEM-WE performance. In general, the preparation of MEAs with low platinum loading cathodes is straightforward, due to the availability of carbon supported platinum catalysts (Pt/C) with a low Pt packing density. For the optimization of the ionomer content in the cathode electrode, however, its effect on the high current density performance and on the hydrogen permeation rate from cathode to anode have to be considered [6,7].With regards to the anode electrode, we will further discuss the MEA design challenges when targeting ultra-low iridium loadings. In the case of the ultra-thin catalyst layers that result when using conventional OER catalysts, additional contact resistances between the anode catalyst layer and the titanium based porous transport layer (Ti-PTL) are observed [2]. As will be shown, these can be largely mitigated by the use of a titanium based microporous layer (MPL) coated on the Ti-PTL, highlighting the importance of the interface between the PTL and the anode catalyst layer. In case of using the above described IrOx/TiO2 catalysts with low iridium packing density, their typically lower electrical conductivity also results in apparent contact resistances within and across the anode catalyst layer [4], which poses an additional constraint on the allowable range of the catalyst/ionomer ratio in the anode electrode. The interplay between the anode catalyst type, the anode ionomer content, and the type of interface between the anode electrode and the PTL (i.e., with and without MPL) will be discussed.

Preparation of Membrane Electrode Assemblies Using Waste Tire Derived Carbon Supported Platinum Catalyst

Since the world’s population and energy demand are constantly growing and energy is largely based on the use of non-renewable energy sources, it would be necessary to find an alternative, more environmentally friendly energy carrier [1]. One of the most important alternative energy carriers is hydrogen, which is used in the operation of the polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell (PEMFC), where chemical energy is converted into electrical energy, and only heat and pure water are released during operation [2]. As the demand for means of transport is also increasing in the world, more and more old tires are generated every year (5 billion are predicted for 2030 ) [3]. Waste tires do not decompose and generally end up in landfills, which is not a sustainable solution. Therefore, opportunities are being sought for the recycling of waste tires in various fields. In this work, a Pt catalyst material is synthesized using carbon made from waste tires as a support material [4].The aim of this work was to investigate the activity of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) of synthesized platinum catalysts. The Pt deposition was performed by two different methods. Synthesized catalyst materials (S1 and S2) and commercial catalyst (K) for comparison were characterized physically to obtain information on Pt weight percent and Pt crystallite size, material elemental composition, specific surface area, and porosity. Catalysts were characterized electrochemically using rotating disk electrode and cyclic voltammetry methods to determine their ORR kinetics. Measurements of PEMFC performance in air showed that catalyst materials with smaller Pt crystallite size and higher ECA values also had higher ORR activity. In addition, it was found that the power density depends significantly on the carbon used in the synthesis of the Pt catalyst and the method of preparation of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA). Based on the PEMFC measurements of the optimized MEAs, the power density increased in the order S1 < S2 < K.