Surface composition of ordered intermetallic compounds PtBi and PtPb

The surface composition of bulk electrodes made from the ordered intermetallic phases PtBi and PtPb has been studied by ex-situ X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) after being subjected to various electrochemical treatments. Analysis of the freshly polished surfaces showed that in the surface and near surface regions the less-noble metals; Bi and Pb are oxidized to a significant extent (28% and 41%, respectively). Upon cycling to increasingly positive potentials, the fraction of oxidized to metallic forms of Bi and Pb decreased gradually to reach the minimal values of 7% and 6% at +400 mV vs. Ag/AgCl (saturated KCl). The observed decrements are due to leaching of surface oxides; Bi₂O₃ on PtBi and PbCO₃ or Pb(OH)₂ on PtPb. When the potential sweep was extended to more positive values, there was a linear decrease in the surface concentration of the less-noble metal, along with a slight increase in the amount of the species in their oxidized state (Bi₂O₃ for PtBi and PbSO₄ for PtPb). Leaching of Bi from the electrode surface occurs in accordance to the Pourbaix diagram for elemental bismuth, indicating no significant increase in stability arising from the formation of an intermetallic phase with platinum. In the case of PtPb, however, the Pb starts to dissolve away at potentials significantly more positive (+800 mV) than what was anticipated from the Pourbaix diagram. The results obtained here are in accord with our previous observations on the effects of electrochemical pre-treatment on these intermetallic phases for the electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid and other potential fuel cell fuels.