Ethanol oxidation reaction activity of highly dispersed Pt/SnO sub(2) double nanoparticles on carbon black

• Published in: Journal of power sources Vol. 196; no. 4; pp. 1730 - 1737
• Main Authors: Higuchi, Eiji, Miyata, Kazumasa, Takase, Tomonori, Inoue, Hiroshi
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 15.02.2011
• Subjects: Carbon black; Dispersion; Electrodes; Ethanol; Ethyl alcohol; Nanoparticles; Platinum; Tin dioxide; Tin oxides
• ISSN: 0378-7753
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2010.10.008

Highly dispersed Pt and SnO sub(2) double nanoparticles containing different Pt/Sn ratios (denoted as Pt/SnO sub(2)/CB) were prepared on carbon black (CB) by the modified Boennemann method. The average size of Pt and SnO sub(2) nanoparticles was 3.1 +/- 0.5 nm and 2.5 +/- 0.3 nm, respectively, in Pt/SnO sub(2)(3:1)/CB, 3.0 +/- 0.5 nm and 2.6 +/- 0.3 nm, respectively, in Pt/SnO sub(2)(1:1)/CB, and 2.8 +/- 0.5 nm and 2.5 +/- 0.3 nm, respectively, in Pt/SnO sub(2)(1:3)/CB. The Pt/SnO sub(2)(3:1)/CB electrode showed the highest specific activity and lowest overpotential for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), and was superior to a Pt/CB electrode. Current density for EOR at 0.40 and 0.60 V vs. reversible hydrogen electrode for the Pt/SnO sub(2)(3:1)/CB electrode decayed more slowly than that for the Pt/CB electrode because of a synergistic effect between Pt and SnO sub(2) nanoparticles. The predominant reaction product was acetic acid, and its current efficiency was about 70%, while that for CO sub(2) production was about 30%.