Bimetallic Cluster Provides a Higher Activity Electrocatalyst for Methanol Oxidation |
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Authors: | Brenda L García Burjor Captain Richard D Adams Ana B Hungria Paul A Midgley Sir John Meurig Thomas John W Weidner |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Chemical Engineering, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA;(2) Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, University of South Carolina, Columbia, SC 29208, USA;(3) Department of Materials Science, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3QZ, UK |
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Abstract: | The cluster complex Pt2Ru4(CO)18 was used as a precursor to prepare a 60 wt% 1:2 Pt:Ru nanoparticles on carbon (PtRu/C) for use as an electrocatalyst for
methanol oxidation. This bimetallic carbonyl cluster complex was found to provide smaller, more uniform bimetallic nanoparticle
that exhibited higher electrocatalytic activity than a 60 wt% 1:1 Pt:Ru commercial catalyst from E-Tek. Using bimetallic cluster
precursors simplifies the synthetic procedures by reducing the need for high temperature reduction and assures a more intimate
mixing of the two different metals. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of the catalyst obtained from the cluster
precursor showed bimetallic nanoparticles having a narrow size range of 2–3 nm that were dispersed uniformly over the surface
of the support. Images of the commercial catalyst showed particles 3–4 nm in diameter that tended to agglomerate near the
edges of the carbon support particles. Cyclic voltammograms of methanol oxidation from the two catalysts showed significantly
higher activity for the cluster-derived catalyst. The onset potential for methanol oxidation for the cluster-derived catalyst
was approximately 170 mV lower than that of the commercial catalyst at 100 A/g Pt, and approximately 250 mV lower at 400 A/g
Pt.
* This report is dedicated to Prof. Günter Schmid on the occasion of his 70th birthday. |
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Keywords: | PtRu nanoclusters catalyst methanol fuel cell |
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