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Preparation of PtSnSb/C by an alcohol reduction process for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC)

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Abstract

PtSn/C and PtSnSb/C electrocatalysts (20 wt.% metal loading) were prepared by an alcohol reduction process using H2PtCl6.6H2O, SnCl2.2H2O, and Sb(OOCCH3) as metal sources, ethylene glycol as solvent and reducing agent, and Vulcan XC72 as carbon support. The electrocatalysts were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy, while that the performance for ethanol oxidation was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperommetry (chrono) at room temperature. The diffractograms of the PtSn/C and PtSnSb/C electrocatalysts showed four peaks associated to Pt face-centered cubic structure and two peaks that were related to a SnO2 phase. For PtSb/C and PtSnSb/C electrocatalysts, no Sb (antimony) peaks corresponding to a metallic antimony or antimony oxide phases were observed. Transmission electron microscopy images showed that the metal particles were homogeneously distributed over the support. The PtSnSb/C (50:45:05) electrocatalyst showed an increase of performance for ethanol oxidation in relation to PtSn/C electrocatalyst at room temperature. In the tests at 100 °C on a single cell of a direct ethanol fuel cell, the maximum power density of PtSnSb/C (50:45:05) electrocatalyst was slightly higher than that of PtSn/C electrocatalyst.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank the Laboratório de Microscopia do Centro de Ciências e Tecnologia de Materiais (CCTM) for the TEM measurements, FAPESP and CNPq (470790/2010-5) for the financial support.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Instituto de Pesquisas Energéticas e Nucleares, IPEN-CNEN/SP, Cidade Universitária, Av. Prof. Lineu Prestes, 2242, 05508-900, São Paulo, SP, Brazil

    J. M. S. Ayoub, A. N. Geraldes, M. M. Tusi, E. V. Spinacé & A. O. Neto

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  1. J. M. S. Ayoub
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  2. A. N. Geraldes
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  3. M. M. Tusi
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  4. E. V. Spinacé
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  5. A. O. Neto
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Correspondence to A. O. Neto.

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Ayoub, J.M.S., Geraldes, A.N., Tusi, M.M. et al. Preparation of PtSnSb/C by an alcohol reduction process for direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC). Ionics 17, 559–564 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-011-0574-y

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11581-011-0574-y

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