New Insight into Platinum Dissolution from Nanoparticulate Platinum-Based Electrocatalysts Using Highly Sensitive In Situ Concentration Measurements

• Published in: ChemCatChem 2014-02, Vol.6 (2), p.449-453
• Main Authors: Jovanovič, Primož, Pavlišič, Andraž, Šelih, Vid Simon, Šala, Martin, Hodnik, Nejc, Bele, Marjan, Hočevar, Samo, Gaberšček, Miran
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: cyclic voltammetry; electrochemistry; fuel cells; nanoparticles; platinum
• ISSN: 1867-3880; 1867-3899
• DOI: 10.1002/cctc.201300936

Time‐ and potential‐resolved electrochemical Pt dissolution from commercial Pt and prepared PtCu alloy nanoparticulate catalysts have been studied under potentiodynamic conditions in 0.1 M HClO4 by using on‐line inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS). For the first time the exact amount of dissolved Pt per cycle has been measured on real electrocatalysts. Results show clearly that Pt dissolution depends on the particle size: approximately seven times as much Pt is released into the solution from commercial 3 nm Pt particles as from a commercial 30 nm Pt sample. The stability of our prepared PtCu electrocatalyst is higher than that of a commercial 3 nm electrocatalyst, which is, however, still slightly lower than that of a commercial 30 nm Pt electrocatalyst. Platinum away: For the first time the exact amount of dissolved Pt per cycle is measured on real Pt (proton exchange membrane fuel cell) electrocatalysts by using a new electrochemical flow cell coupled with inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. We also reveal that Pt corrosion depends markedly on the particle size.