Iranian Nanotechnology Society International Journal of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology 1735-7004 10 2 2014 06 01 Cerium-Promoted PtRu/MWNTs As the Anode Catalyst for Methanol Electro-Oxidation 67 78 6112 EN E. Esmaeili 1- Birjand University of Technology, Department of Chemical Engineering, Birjand, I. R. Iran. A. M. Rashidi Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, I. R. Iran Kh. Jafari-Jozani Research Institute of Petroleum Industry (RIPI), Tehran, I. R. Iran Journal Article 2013 07 19 In the present study, PtRuCe/MWNTs nanocatalysts synthesized via polyol process technique are applied as anode electro-catalyst in methanol electro-oxidation reaction (MOR). To characterize the nanocatalysts, TEM, XRD, EDS and XPS are investigated. Cyclic voltammetry and choronoamperometry are used to evaluate the electro-catalytic activity and stability of the catalysts in methanol electro-oxidation, respectively. Further addition of the Ce promoter to MWNTs-supported PtRu nanocatalyst shows the highest activity and the lowest onset potential in MOR at Ce to Pt molar ratio of 0.7. A significant enhancement of the forward anodic peak in cyclic voltammetry experiments is observed for the Ce-promoted PtRu catalyst with cerium to platinum molar ratio of 0.7, i.e. 349 mA/cm2.mgPt , in comparison with 182 mA/cm2.mgPt and 251 mA/cm2.mgPt , respectively, corresponding to Pt/MWNTs and PtRu(1:1)/MWNTs nanocatalysts. Furthermore, the chronoamperommetry results present a remarkable improvement in the final current density of PtRuCe/MWNTs (6.1 mA/cm2), compared to the un-promoted catalysts, having a decreasing propensity, i.e. PtRu/MWNTs (3.7 mA/cm2) and Pt/MWNTs (2.05 mA/cm2.mgcat). The improved performance of PtRuCe/MWNTs may be attributed to the formation of highly-dispersed Pt nanoparticles on the support, followed by a significant enhancement of bifunctional mechanism, as a result of cerium incorporation.

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