Pt/rare-earth cathode catalysts were synthesized by the alcohol-reduction process and its structure was investigated by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy dispersive analyses (EDS), X-ray Diffraction (XRD). The electrochemical behavior of the cathode catalyst was analyzed by cyclic voltammetry (CV) chronoamperommetry (CA).
Electrocatalytic activity toward ethanol electrooxidation of Pt particles in PtLa/C catalysts with different Pt : La ratios has been studied with different electrochemical and spectroscopic techniques, and the results were compared to those of Pt/C catalyst. Significant enhancement in the electrocatalytic activity has been achieved by depositing the Pt particles with lanthanum oxides/hydroxides using an alcohol reduction method. Compared to Pt/C catalyst, PtLa/C materials exhibit a lower onset potential and a higher electron-transfer rate constant for the investigated reaction. These studies illustrate the possibility of utilizing Pt/C with La oxides/ hidroxides as electrocatalyst for direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs).
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.