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Microwave‐Assisted Ethanol Reduction as a New Method for the Preparation of Highly Active and Stable CNT‐Supported PtRu Electrocatalysts for Methanol Oxidation
Author(s) -
Nassr Abu Bakr Ahmed Amine,
Bron Michael
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
chemcatchem
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.497
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1867-3899
pISSN - 1867-3880
DOI - 10.1002/cctc.201200742
Subject(s) - nanomaterial based catalyst , catalysis , electrochemistry , methanol , materials science , carbon nanotube , nanoparticle , chemical engineering , metal , ethanol , inorganic chemistry , carbon fibers , chemistry , nanotechnology , electrode , organic chemistry , metallurgy , composite material , engineering , composite number
Highly active and stable PtRu nanocatalysts supported on carbon nanotubes were prepared by microwave‐assisted ethanol reduction in an ethanol/water mixture (1:1 v/v). During the reduction process, the presence of water is necessary for fast and substantial metal ion reduction. The prepared catalysts were characterized with inductively coupled plasma (ICP‐ES), TEM, XRD, and electrochemical techniques to investigate their structural properties and electrocatalytic activities. ICP analysis confirms the presence of Pt and Ru in the catalysts, whereas XRD and TEM analyses demonstrate the formation of nanoparticles in the Pt face‐centered‐cubic structure that have a narrow size distribution and are well dispersed on carbon nanotubes. Metal loading and Pt/Ru ratio are closer to the nominal values for catalysts prepared through microwave‐assisted ethanol reduction than those for catalysts prepared by conventional ethanol reduction. Heat treatment at different temperatures from 200 to 800 °C in a reductive atmosphere has a beneficial effect on the electrocatalytic activity of the catalysts and their stabilities under electrochemical conditions. A heat treatment temperature of 600 °C was found to be optimum for the activity and stability of the catalysts and tolerance for CO poisoning, which is discussed in view of the structural properties of the nanocatalysts and the higher degree of alloying. Temperatures higher than 600 °C led to the aggregation of nanocatalysts and formation of larger particles.