Activity and stability of PtCo/C electrocatalysts for alcohol oxidation

Abstract

This study considers the liquid-phase synthesis of PtCo/C catalysts based on CoOx/C composite carriers with different mass fractions of metals and Pt:Co ratios. The purpose of the article is to study the activity of PtCo/C electrocatalysts of various compositions in the oxidation reactions of methanol and ethanol and to compare their characteristics with their commercial PtRu/C and Pt/C analogues. PtCo/С catalysts were synthesised with Pt:Co ratios of 1:1 and 3:1. The specific active surface of the obtained PtCo/C materials was determined, their activity in the oxidation reactions of methanol and ethanol and their resistance to poisoning by intermediate products of alcohol oxidation were studied. The structural and electrochemical characteristics of the obtained PtCo/C catalysts were studied by X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. It was found that PtCo/C materials with a mass fraction of platinum close to 20% are the most active and stable as compared to their commercial PtRu/C and Pt/C analogues. The presented results show that PtCo/C catalysts are a promising material for direct alcohol fuel cells.

Keywords

• methanol fuel cells
• ethanol fuel cells
• electrocatalysis
• ethanol oxidation reaction
• methanol oxidation reaction
• bimetallic catalysts