Direct ethanol fuel cell: Electrochemical performance at 90 degrees C on Pt and PtSn/C electrocatalysts

Boniface Kokoh (1) , J.M. Léger (1) , Stéphane Pronier (1) , A.R. de Andrade (2) , F.L.S. Purgato (1, 2) , P. Olivi (2) , Germano Tremiliosi-Filho (3)

1 LACCO - Laboratoire de catalyse en chimie organique
2 Universidade de São Paulo, Faculdade de Filosofia Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto, Departamento de Química, Ribeirão Preto
3 Instituto de Química de São Carlos

Carbon-supported Pt-based electrocatalysts were synthesized by Pechini method for the ethanol oxidation (EOR). Physicochemical characterizations were helpful to estimate the diameters of the obtained materials ranging from 2 nm to 5 nm. Main electrochemical experiments were carried out at 90 degrees C i.e. under the working conditions of performing the single 5 cm(2) direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). Pt(80)Sn(20)/C was the anode catalyst which has given the highest power density of 37 mW cm(-2). Importantly, the IR spectroscopy measurements associated with the qualitative analysis done at the output of the anodic compartment of the fuel cell have shown that ethanol oxidation on Pt(80)Sn(20)/C was mainly a two-electron sustainable process. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Mots clés: PT3SN; METHANOL; ELECTRODES; OXIDATION; FORMIC-ACID; ELECTROOXIDATION; ALCOHOL-REDUCTION PROCESS; PT-SN ELECTROCATALYSTS; ANODE CATALYSTS; RU

Domaines: Catalyse; Autre

Boniface Kokoh, J.M. Léger, Stéphane Pronier, A.R. de Andrade, F.L.S. Purgato, et al.. Direct ethanol fuel cell: Electrochemical performance at 90 degrees C on Pt and PtSn/C electrocatalysts. Journal of Power Sources, 2012, 198, pp.95-99. ⟨10.1016/j.jpowsour.2011.09.060⟩. ⟨hal-00665151⟩