Methanol oxidation on carbon-supported Pt---Sn electrodes in silicotungstic acid

Aricò, AS and Kim, H and Shukla, AK and Ravikumar, MK and Antonucci, V and Giordano, N (1994) Methanol oxidation on carbon-supported Pt---Sn electrodes in silicotungstic acid. In: Electrochimica Acta, 39 (5). pp. 691-700.

PDF OXIDATION.pdf - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (1MB) | Request a copy

Abstract

Electro-oxidation of methanol was studied on carbon-supported Pt---Sn/C electrodes in silcotungstic acid (SiWA) at various concentrations. The porous-carbon electrodes employing Pt---Sn/C catalyst have been characterized using chemical analyses, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) in conjunction with electrochemistry. The presence of Pt---Sn and Pt3Sn alloys along with Pt and SnO2 phases in the catalyst were identified by XRD. XPS analysis showed a lower amount of PtO species in the Pt---Sn/C catalyst with respect to the corresponding Pt/C sample. From the steady-state galvanostatic polarization data on Pt---Sn/C electrodes in SiWA, it is inferred that a one-electron process is the rate determining step. The performance of the electrodes in 0.084 M SiWA was better than in 2.5 M H2SO4 under similar conditions up to load currents of about 100 mA cm−2 indicating the promoting behaviour of the electrolyte. At currents larger than 100 mA cm−2, the performance of the electrodes in 0.084 SiWA was poorer than that in 2.5 M H2SO4 mainly due to the dominance of mass polarization in the former owing to the large size of keggin units associated with the structure of SiWA. This aspect was supported by cyclic voltammetry and ac impedance studies on Pt---Sn/C electrodes. Simulation of the electrochemical impedance response for the oxidation of methanol in SiWA was carried out using the equivalent electrical circuit model.

Item Type:	Journal Article
Publication:	Electrochimica Acta
Publisher:	Elsevier Science
Additional Information:	Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:	silicotungstic acid;methanol oxidation;Pt---Sn catalyst; porous-carbon electrodes;ac impedance spectroscopy.
Department/Centre:	Division of Chemical Sciences > Solid State & Structural Chemistry Unit
Date Deposited:	26 Apr 2011 09:52
Last Modified:	26 Apr 2011 09:52
URI:	http://eprints.iisc.ac.in/id/eprint/36503

Actions (login required)

View Item