Physical and electrochemical characterizations of PtRu/C catalysts by spray pyrolysis for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol

In this paper, it was reported that the carbon-supported Pt-Ru(Pt-Ru/C) catalyst used as the anodic catalyst in the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was synthesized with a two-step spray pyrolysis (SP) method using the Pt and Ru metal salt as the precursors and polyethylene glycol (PEG) with the different molecular weights (Mw= 200,600,and 1000 analytical reagent) as cosolvent. PEG as a cosolvent plays a crucial role in producing PtRu/C catalysts. It was found that the Mw of PEG could affect the electrocatalytic activity of Pt-Ru and the morphology of the Pt-Ru particles in the Pt-Ru/C catalysts prepared with this method. When the Mw of PEG is 600, the Pt-Ru particles in the Pt-Ru/C catalyst prepared with this method possess the small average size, narrow size distribution, uniform dispersion, and high electrochemically active specific surface area. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt-Ru/C catalyst prepared with this method using the cosolvent PEG with Mw = 600 for the methanol oxidation is much higher than that of the commercial E-TEK Pt-Ru/C catalyst. Therefore, the two-step SP method is an excellent method for the preparation of the Pt-Ru/C catalyst used in DMFCs.

Hydrazide-functionalized hollow porous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) spheres for immobilization of enzyme

Hollow porous poly(2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate)(HEMA-co-EDMA) spheres were prepared by emulsifier-free emulsion polymerization, swelling, seed emulsion polymerization and extraction. Then the spheres activated with 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine were functioned with adipohydrazide (AH). After periodate oxidation of its carbohydrate moieties, horseradish peroxidase was immobilized on the hydrazide-functionalized hollow porous poly(HEMA-co-EDMA) spheres. The amount of immobilized enzyme was up to 43.4 mu g of enzyme/g of support. Moreover, the immobilized horseradish peroxidase exhibited high activity and good stability.

Cyclic voltammetry for predicting oxidation process in heterogeneous catalysis

Catalytic reactions with different oxidation process were investigated and correlated to the electrochemical properties of the catalysts. The activity of suprafacial reaction is closely related to the area of redox peak, while that of the intrafacial one is to the match of redox potentials. Accordingly, it is supposed that cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurement could be a means for predicting the oxidation process in heterogeneous catalysis.

Studies on electrocatalytic performance of titanium oxide electrode modified with Pt toward the oxidation of methanol

Electrocatalytic performance of the Pr-TiOx/Ti electrode prepared with electrochemical reduction-oxidation method toward the oxidation of methanol has been studied, The experimental results showed that the Pt-TiOx/Ti electrode has a high electrocatalytic activity and good stability for the electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol, By means of electrochemical, XPS, STM and in-situ FTIR techniques, it was found that one reason for the electrode to exhibit an excellent performance is attributed to the high dispersion between nanosized Pt and TiOx particles, The low adsorption ability of the intermediate derived from methanol, such as linearly adsorbed CO species on the electrode surface due to the interaction between Pt and TiOx, also results in the excellent performance.

The role of redox property of La2-x(Sr,Th)(x)CuO4 +/-lambda playing in the reaction of NO decomposition and NO reduction by CO

Two systems of mixed oxides, La2-xSrxCuO4 +/- lambda (0.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1.0) and La(2-x)Tn(x)CuO(4 +/-) (lambda) (0.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.4), with K2NiF4 structure were prepared. The average valence of Cu ions and oxygen nonstoichiometry (lambda) were determined by means of chemical analysis. Meanwhile, the adsorption and activation of nitrogen monoxide (NO) and the mixture of NO + CO over the mixed oxide catalysts were studied by means of mass spectrometry temperature-programmed desorption (MS-TPD). The catalytic behaviors in the reactions of direct decomposition of NO and its reduction by CO were investigated, and were discussed in relation with average valence of Cu ions, A and the activation and adsorption of reactant molecules. It has been proposed that both reactions proceed by the redox mechanism, in which the oxygen vacancies and the lower-valent Cu ions play important roles in the individual step of the redox cycle. Oxygen vacancy is more significant for NO decomposition than for NO + CO reaction. For the NO + CO reaction, the stronger implication of the lower-valent Cu ions or oxygen vacancy depends on reaction temperature and the catalytic systems (Sr- or Th-substituted). (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Low-temperature oxidation of methane to form formaldehyde: role of Fe and Mo on Fe-Mo/SiO2 catalysts, and their synergistic effects

The partial oxidation of methane with molecular oxygen was performed on Fe-Mo/SiO2 catalysts. Iron was loaded on the Mo/SiO2 catalyst by chemical vapor deposition of Fe-3(CO)(12). The catalyst showed good low-temperature activities at 723-823 K. Formaldehyde was a major condensable liquid product on the prepared catalyst. There were synergistic effects between iron and molybdenum in Fe-Mo/SiO2 catalysts for the production of formaldehyde from the methane partial oxidation. The activation energy of Mo/SiO2 decreased with the addition of iron and approached that of the Fe/SiO2. The concentration of isolated molybdenum species (the peak at 1148 K in TPR experiments) decreased as the ion concentration increased and had a linear relationship with the selectivity of methane to formaldehyde. The role of Fe and Mo in the Fe-Mo/SiO2 catalyst was proposed: Fe is the center for the C-H activation to generate reaction intermediates, and Mo is the one for the transformation of intermediates into formaldehyde. Those phenomena were predominant below 775 K.

A mechanistic study of electrochemical oxidation processes of (OEP)Mg(II) in the presence of anions

In the presence of F-, OH-, Cl-, electrochemical redox of (OEP)Mg(II) [2,3, 7,8,12,13,17,18 octaethyl-21H, 23H-porphine magnesium (II)] are investigated in DCE/0.1 mol/L solution by cyclic voltammetry and spectroelectrochemistry, In the presence of anions, anions are axially coordinated to (OEP)Mg(II) generate (OEP)Mg(II)Y, the E-1/2 of (OEP)MS(II)Y oxidation are negatively shifted. A chemical reaction following the second oxidation step is observed, the E-1/2 of the reaction product is obtained. Mechanism of (OEP)Mg(II) in the halogen and OH- anions titration process has been proposed.

Preparation, characterization of solid solution La4BaCu5-xMnxO13+lambda (x=0-5) and its catalytic activity in the reduction of NO by CO

A series of layered mixed oxides La4BaCu5-xMnxO13+lambda(x = 0-5) was prepared, characterized and used as catalysts for NO+CO reaction. It was found that all the samples were single phase having a structure with five-layered-perovskite. La4BaCu2Mn3O13+lambda showed the highest activity in the title reaction, this could be attributed to the synergetic effect between Cu and Mn. The results of TPR, TPD and excess oxygen investigations confirmed that the Cu ion would be the active center. The displacement of the Cu ion by Mn caused the Cu ion to be more easily reducible and more content of excess oxygen, and it was beneficial to the activity of the catalyst. The reaction mechanism was also proposed.

Electrochemical behavior of a series of undecatungstozincates monosubstituted by first-row transition metals, ZnW11M(H2O)O-39(n-) (M = Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn)

The electrochemical behavior of a series of undecatungstozincates monosubstituted by first-row transition metals, ZnW11M(H2O)O-39(n-) (M=Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu or Zn), was investigated systematically and comparably in aqueous solutions by electrochemical and in situ UV-visible-near-IR spectroelectrochemical methods. These compounds exhibit not only successive reduction processes of the addenda atoms (W) in a negative potential range, but some of them also involve redox reactions originating from the substituted transition metals (M) such as the reduction of Fe-III and Cu-II at less negative potentials and the oxidation of Mn-II at a more positive potential. Some interesting results and phenomena, especially of the transition metals, were found for the first time. Moreover, possible reaction mechanisms are proposed based on the experimental results.

Catalytic combustion of CH4 and CO on La1-xMxMnO3 perovskites

The activities of perovskites depend on compositions and preparation methods. Various perovskites, La1-xMxMnO3 (M=Ag, Sr, Ce, La), have been prepared by two different methods (co-precipitation and spray decomposition). The new preparation method, spray decomposition, produced perovskites of a high surface area of over 10 m(2)/g. The catalytic activities for CH4 and CO oxidation have been studied on a series of catalysts, La1-xMxMnO3. The perovskite-type oxide, La0.7Ag0.3MnO3, shows the highest catalytic activity: the complete conversion of CO and CH4 at 370 and 825 K, respectively. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.

Catalysis of hydrotalcite-like compounds in liquid phase oxidation: (II) - Oxidation of p-cresol to p-hydroxybenzaldehyde

Hydrotalcite-like compounds (HTLcs): CoMAlCO3-HTLcs (M=Cu2+, Ni2+, Mn2+, Cr3+, Fe3+), were synthesized by coprecipitation and characterized with XRD and IR. The catalysis of these HTLcs and their calcined products were studied in the p-cresol oxidation, and the effects of the temperature of HTLcs calcination, the ratio of Co/Cu, different promoters, reaction temperatures and reaction times on reaction activities were investigated. It has been found that calcined HTLcs have higher activity than uncalcined samples and mechanical mixed oxides in this reaction. The best yield was obtained from the CoCuAlCO3-HTLc (Co/Cu/Al=3:1:1) calcined at 450 degrees C. A tentative reaction mechanism was also proposed. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science B.V.

Partial oxidation of methane to synthesize gas over Ni/alpha-Al2O3 catalyst promoted by noble metals

The production of synthesis gas by partial oxidation bf methane in oxygen has been examined over Ni/alpha-Al2O3 catalyst promoted by noble metals(Rh, Ru, Pt and Pd), especially with Pt. The reactivity is considered in conjunction with the result of H-2-TPR, CO-TPD, SEM and XRD. It is found that small amount of Pt results in a great improvement of activity for the Ni/alpha-Al2O3 catalyst. The activity order is : Rh-Ni>Pt-Ni approximate to Ru-Ni>Pd-Ni, meantime the Pt improves the stability of Ni/alpha-Al2O3 catalyst except for Pd which is easy to he deactivated by carbon deposition. The results of TPD, SEM and XRD indicate that there is an interaction between Ni and Pt metals in the catalyst. The interaction increases the dispersions of Pt and Nit the presence of Pt suppresses the growth and the migration of Ni grains over the surface of the catalyst.

Electrochemical and spectroelectrochemical study of (OEP)Co in the presence of acrylonitrile, ethanol, N,N-dimethylformamide and dimethylsulfoxide in dichloroethane solution

The ligand effects of acrylonitrile, EtOH, DMF and DMSO on the electrochemical oxidation reactions of (OEP)Co were investigated by CV monitored electrochemical titration and in - situ thin - layer spectroelectrochemical method. The formation constants of (OEP)Co(III) with these molecules were calculated. The magnitude of the values shows the order of acrylonitrile Co(III) center can coordinate with one or two of these molecules. However, the Co(II) center does not show any coordination with any of these molecules. It was also find that the ring cation radicals of the Co(III) can form one or two axial bindings with these molecules.

Characterization and catalytic behavior of La2-x(Sr,Th)(x)CuO4+/-lambda in reaction NO+CO

Two mixed oxide systems La2-xSrxCuO4+/-lambda(0.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 1.0) and La2+xThxCuO4+/-lambda(0.0 less than or equal to x less than or equal to 0.4) with K2NiF4 structure were prepared by varying re values; Their crystal structures were studied by means of XRD and IR spectra. The average valence of Cu ion at B site, nonstoichiometric oxygen (A) and the chemical composition in the bulk and on the surface of the catalysts were measured by means of chemical analysis and XPS. The catalytic behavior in reaction CO + NO was investigated under the regular change of average valence of Cu ion at B site and nonstoichiometric oxygen (lambda). Meanwhile, the adsorption and activation of the small molecules NO and the mixture of NO + CO over the mixed oxide catalysts were studied by means of MS-TPD. The catalytic mechanism of reaction NO + CO over these oxide catalysts were proposed; and it has been found that, at lower temperatures the activation of NO is the rate determining step and the catalytic activity is related to the lower valent metallic ion and its concentration, while at higher temperatures the adsorption of NO is the rate determining step and the catalytic activity is related to the oxygen vacancy and its concentration.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on polypyrrole film modified with platinum microparticles

The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol on polypyrrole (PPy) film modified with platinum microparticles has been studied by means of electrochemical and in situ Fourier transform infrared techniques. The Pt microparticles, which were incorporated in the PPy film by the technique of cyclic voltammetry, were uniformly dispersed. The modified electrode exhibits significant electrocatalytic activity for the oxidation of methanol. The catalytic activities were found to be dependent on Pt loading and the thickness of the PPy film. The linearly adsorbed CO species is the only intermediate of electrochemical oxidation of methanol and can be readily oxidized at the modified electrodes. The enhanced electrocatalytic activities may be due to the uniform dispersion of Pt microparticles in the PPy film and the synergistic effects of the highly dispersed Pt microparticles and the PPy film. Finally, a reaction mechanism is suggested.