Synthesis and Electrocatalytic Performance of Multi-Component Nanoporous PtRuCuW Alloy for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Abstract

Abstract:We have prepared a multi-component nanoporous PtRuCuW (np-PtRuCuW) electrocatalyst via a combined chemical dealloying and mechanical alloying process. The X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and electrochemical measurements have been applied to characterize the microstructure and electrocatalytic activities of the np-PtRuCuW. The np-PtRuCuW catalyst has a unique three-dimensional bi-continuous ligament structure and the length scale is 2.0 ± 0.3 nm. The np-PtRuCuW catalyst shows a relatively high level of activity normalized to mass (467.1 mA mgPt) and electrochemically active surface area (1.8 mA cm −2 ) compared to the state-of-the-art commercial PtC and PtRu catalyst at anode. Although the CO stripping peak of np-PtRuCuW 0.47 V (vs. saturated calomel electrode, SCE) is more positive than PtRu, there is a 200 mV negative shift compared to PtC (0.67 V vs. SCE). In addition, the half-wave potential and specific activity towards oxygen reduction of np-PtRuCuW are 0.877 V (vs. reversible hydrogen electrode, RHE) and 0.26 mA cm −2 , indicating a great enhancement towards oxygen reduction than the commercial PtC. OPEN ACCESSCatalysts 2015, 5 1004

Electrocatalysis in Fuel Cells

“…This nanocomposite also showed good activity for MOR. Chen et al prepared a multi-component nanoporous PtRuCuW electrocatalyst by chemical and mechanical dealloying [35]. The unique ligament/channel nanoporous structure showed an enhanced activity for MOR compared to PtRu/C.…”

Fast and Facile Synthesis of Pt Nanoparticles Supported on Ketjen Black by Solution Plasma Sputtering as Bifunctional HER/ORR Catalysts

“…Moreover, a significant decrease in decomposition temperature with increasing Pt loading was observed. This result implies that Pt could accelerate the decomposition of the KB support owing to a higher oxygen and carbon reaction rate [39,40]. Figure 4a shows the TGA curves of all samples upon heating from 50 °C to 900 °C under air flow.…”

A comprehensive and critical review on recent progress in anode catalyst for methanol oxidation reaction

“…The TEM image shows that a Pt nanoparticle with an average size of 3.3 nm was well dispersed over Ti 0.7 Cu 0.3 N. HRTEM analysis confirms the presence of fcc-Pt (111) facet and TiN (111) plane with a d-spacing of 0.227 nm and 0.249 nm, respectively Figure 11. [151] More than bi and tri-metallic catalyst, researchers took effort in developing more active multimetallic catalyst such as PtCuCoNi, [152] PtRuCuOsIr, [153] PtRuCuW, [154] in order to improve the activity, stability and durability toward methanol oxidation reaction. [152] Few works were recently reported on the Pt-free Cu-based catalyst for methanol oxidation.…”