Abstract

WANG, Hui et al. Highly active, carbon-supported, PdSn nano-core, partially covered with Pt, as catalysts for methanol oxidation. S.Afr.j.chem. (Online) [online]. 2012, vol.65, pp.69-74. ISSN 1996-840X.

Carbon-supported, Pt partially covered, PdSn alloy nanoparticles (Pt-PdSn/C) were synthesized via a metathetical reaction of PdSn alloy nanoparticles, and a platinum precursor. The electrochemical activity was evaluated by methanol oxidation. The Pt-PdSn/C catalysts were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and cyclic voltammograms (CV). TEM showed that Pt grows layer-by-layer on the surface of PdSn cores and the thickness of the Pt shell is 0.2 nm, about 1-2 monolayers thick. Cyclic voltammetry results showed that PdSn/C nanoparticles, partially covered by Pt, have a better electrocatalystic performance than conventional PtRu/C and PtPdSn/C catalysts. Electrochemical active surface areas of the Pt-PdSn/C was 2.30 times larger than that of PtRu/C and 1.8 times higher than that of PtPdSn/C catalysts. The results showed that a metathetical reaction is an efficient way of preparing, low Pt loading, highly active electrocatalyst, for methanol oxidation, thus offering great potential for producing Pt-based electrocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cells on a large scale.

Keywords : Electrocatalyst; fuel cell; methanol oxidation; Pt-decorated.

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