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Study of Pd–Au/MWCNTs formic acid electrooxidation catalysts
Author(s) -
Mikolajczuk Anna,
Borodzinski Andrzej,
Stobinski Leszek,
Kedzierzawski Piotr,
Lesiak Beata,
Kövér László,
Tóth József,
Lin HongMing
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
physica status solidi (b)
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.51
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1521-3951
pISSN - 0370-1972
DOI - 10.1002/pssb.201000271
Subject(s) - catalysis , formic acid , overlayer , inorganic chemistry , carbon nanotube , materials science , cyclic voltammetry , nanoparticle , palladium , metal , bimetallic strip , chemistry , nuclear chemistry , chemical engineering , electrochemistry , nanotechnology , electrode , organic chemistry , metallurgy , engineering
The Pd–Au multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) supported catalyst exhibits higher power density in direct formic acid fuel cell (DFAFC) than similar Pd/MWCNTs catalyst. The Pd–Au/MWCNTs catalyst also exhibits higher activity and is more stable in electrooxidation reaction of formic acid during cyclic voltammetry (CV) measurements. After preparation by polyol method, the catalyst was subjected to two type of treatments: (I) annealing at 250 °C in 100% of Ar, (II) reducing in 5% of H 2 in Ar atmosphere at 200 °C. It was observed that the catalyst after treatment I was completely inactive, whereas after treatment II exhibited high activity. In order to explain this effect the catalysts were characterized by electron spectroscopy methods. The higher initial catalytic activity of Pd–Au/MWCNTs catalyst than Pd/MWCNTs catalyst in reaction of formic acid electrooxidation was attributed to electronic effect of gold in Pd–Au solution, and larger content of small Au nanoparticles of 1 nm size. The catalytic inactivity of Pd–Au/MWCNTs catalysts annealed in argon is attributed to carbon amorphous overlayer covering of Pd oxide shell on the metallic nanoparticles.