Glycerol and Ethanol Oxidation in Alkaline Medium Using PtCu/C Electrocatalysts

Abstract

The performance of platinum-copper electrocatalysts synthesized in different ratios (100:0, 90:10, 70:30, 50:50, and 0:100), using a borohydride reduction method for electrochemical oxidation of different fuels, was evaluated in an alkaline direct alcohol fuel cell. X-ray diffraction of Pt/C and PtCu/C showed a face-centered cubic structure (fcc) of the platinum and its alloys. Transmission electron microscopy analysis allowed us to see a good dispersion of metallic particles with some regions with clusters of nanoparticles, for all the synthesised materials in the presence of copper. Cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry tests demonstrated that the PtCu/C (50:50) and PtCu/C (70:30) electrocatalysts exhibited the highest activity and stability for the glycerol and ethanol oxidation, respectively. The tests made in fuel cells, directly fed with glycerol and ethanol, presented the PtCu/C (90:10) electrocatalyst as the most effective on the oxidation reaction of the fuels when compared with Pt/C and Cu/C.

Tailor‐Designed Porous Catalysts: Nickel‐Doped Cu/Cu2O Foams for Efficient Glycerol Electro‐Oxidation

“…Copper‐based catalysts have attracted significant interest over the years, especially in the field of electrocatalysis, thanks to their high electro‐catalytic activities, low cost, abundance and good electrical conductivities . For instance, copper‐based nanomaterials have been considered as promising electrocatalysts for potential applications including reduction of CO 2 , water splitting, fuel cells and oxidation of several organic compounds such as methanol, glycerol, aliphatic diols and carbohydrates . Moreover, nanostructured copper‐based electrodes have been introduced as efficient and cheap alternative electrocatalysts in alkaline fuel cells instead of the costly noble metal‐based electrocatalysts.…”

Research and innovation in the electrocatalyst development toward glycerol oxidation reaction

“…High ECSA and the catalyst's optimum molar ratio produced fourfold higher activity and above 80% activity maintenance after a long test duration than Pt/C. The Cu presence in Ottoni et al 57 studied could prevent hydrogen adsorption on Pt. The authors also explore the different thicknesses in catalytic/ diffusion that led to the glycerol reactivity.…”

“…54 Cu atoms present in the noble metal lattice promotes different oxidation mechanisms 55 improves the stability and activity of noble metal for alcohol oxidation in alkaline media. 56 Li et al, 16 Ottoni et al, 57 Xu et al, 58 and Castagna et al 59 investigated multiple ratios of Pt/Cu combination for glycerol oxidation. Li et al 16 synthesized 3D nanochain networks (Pt-Cu NCNs) with porous spongelike morphology with interconnected nano chains via Ostwald ripening synergistic effect of van der Waals' forces and hydrogen bond.…”

Glycerol Electro-Oxidation in Alkaline Media and Alkaline Direct Glycerol Fuel Cells

“…6 mW cm −2 in a passive fuel cell and an MPD of ca. 80 mW cm −2 in an active fuel cell operating at 80 • C. Later, a lot of works focused on ADGFCs for energy production [13,23,33,41,44,46,47,[54][55][56]66,. Fuel cell performance not only depends on the catalysts and AAEM, but also on the fuel cell operating parameters, such as fuel and alkali concentration, temperature and fuel cell operation mode (active or passive).…”