Study of ethanol electro-oxidation in acid environment on Pt(3)Sn/C anode catalysts prepared by a modified polymeric precursor method under controlled synthesis conditions

A carbon-supported binary Pt(3)Sn catalyst has been prepared using a modified polymeric precursor method under controlled synthesis conditions This material was characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD). and the results indicate that 23% (of a possible 25%) of Sn is alloyed with Pt, forming a dominant Pt(3)Sn phase. Transmission election microscopy (TEM) shows good dispersion of the electrocatalyst and small particle sizes (3 6 nm +/- 1 nm) The polarization curves for a direct ethanol fuel cell using Pt(3)Sn/C as the anode demonstrated Improved performance compared to that of a PtSn/C E-TEK. especially in the intrinsic resistance-controlled and mass transfer regions. This behavior is probably associated with the Pt(3)Sn phase. The maximum power density for the Pt(3)Sn/C electrocatalyst (58 mW cm(-2)) is nearly twice that of a PtSn/C E-TEK electrocatalyst (33 mW cm(-2)) This behavior is attributed to the presence of a mixed Pt(9)Sn and Pt(3)Sn alloy phase in the commercial catalysts (C) 2009 Elsevier B V All rights reserved

Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)

CNPq[474742/2008-8]

Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior (CAPES)

CAPES

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

FAPESP[05/59992-6]

FAPESP[08/58789-0]

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

FAPESP[08/58788-4]

Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP)

UFABC

UFABC