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Investigation of Hydrothermally Synthesized Ruthenium Selenides as Methanol-Tolerant Oxygen Reduction Catalysts

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Abstract

Ruthenium selenides (RuSe x ) with Ru and Se molar ratios (Ru/Se), 1:1 and 1:2, have been prepared by the hydrothermal method using ruthenium (III) chloride and selenium powder as precursors. Structural and electrochemical characterizations of materials were performed by X-ray diffraction, scanning and transmission electron microscopes, energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, and cyclic and linear sweep voltammetries. The study confirmed that the hydrothermal method produces the nanocrystalline pyrite-type cubic RuSe2 with both Ru/Se ratios. The catalyst material was porous with the average particles size <10 nm. Both the catalysts were highly active for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), on the contrary, they were inactive toward the methanol electrooxidation in 0.1 M HClO4. However, RuSe x obtained with x = 1 is found to be more ORR active than one obtained with x = 2. Results of the ORR study performed by a rotating disk electrode in 0.1 M HClO4 favor a four-electron pathway from O2 to H2O.

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Acknowledgments

One of authors (Madhu) thanks the University Grants Commission (UGC), Government of India for the award of ‘Rajiv Gandhi National Fellowship’ to carry out the investigation. Authors also thank the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), Government of India for financial support through research grants (Ref. No. 01(2320)/09-EMR-II).

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  1. Department of Chemistry, Centre of Advanced Study, Faculty of Science, Banaras Hindu University, Varanasi, 221005, India

    Madhu, C. S. Sharma & R. N. Singh

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Madhu, Sharma, C.S. & Singh, R.N. Investigation of Hydrothermally Synthesized Ruthenium Selenides as Methanol-Tolerant Oxygen Reduction Catalysts. Electrocatalysis 4, 245–251 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12678-013-0141-6

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