Palladium catalyst modified with molybdenum bronze as a possible alternative to platinum in the methanol oxidation reaction

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry 2016-02, Vol.20 (2), p.589-595
• Main Authors: Podlovchenko, Boris I., Kuznetsov, Vitaly V., Batalov, Roman S.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Condensed Matter Physics; Electrochemistry; Energy Storage; Physical Chemistry; Short Communication
• ISSN: 1432-8488; 1433-0768
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-015-3052-z

n Pd(H x  − 2 n MoO 3 )/GC electrodes were prepared by the surface reaction between red molybdenum bronze (H x MoO 3 , x  ≈ 1.55) and palladium ions under the open-circuit conditions. The synthesized composites were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (AES ICP). n Pd(H x  − 2 n MoO 3 )/GC electrodes showed unusually high catalytic activity toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), significantly higher than that of the electrodeposited palladium and not inferior to the platinum in the Pt/C catalysts. The effect of acceleration of MOR was explained by the bifunctional catalysis mechanism involving molybdenum bronzes. An important role of the Pd/molybdenum bronzes boundaries has been assumed.