Three dimensional graphene foam supported platinum–ruthenium bimetallic nanocatalysts for direct methanol and direct ethanol fuel cell applications

• Published in: Journal of power sources 2014-06, Vol.256, p.329-335
• Main Authors: Kung, Chih-Chien, Lin, Po-Yuan, Xue, Yuhua, Akolkar, Rohan, Dai, Liming, Yu, Xiong, Liu, Chung-Chiun
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Carbon supporting materials; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Ethanol; Ethanol oxidation reaction; Ethyl alcohol; Exact sciences and technology; Foams; Fuel cells; Graphene; Methanol oxidation reaction; Methyl alcohol; Nanocatalysts; Nanostructure; Oxidation; PtRu bimetallic nanoparticles; Three dimensional; Three-dimensional graphene foam
• ISSN: 0378-7753; 1873-2755
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jpowsour.2014.01.074

A novel composite material of hierarchically structured platinum–ruthenium (PtRu) nanoparticles grown on large surface area three dimensional graphene foam (3D GF) is reported. 3D GF was incorporated with PtRu bimetallic nanoparticles as an electrochemical nanocatalyst for methanol and ethanol oxidation. PtRu/3D GF nanocatalyst showed a higher tolerance to poisoning by CO and exhibited improved catalytic activity for both methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Cyclic voltammetry (CV) results and long-term cycling stability tests demonstrated that GF provided a promising platform for the development of electrochemical nanocatalysts. Specifically, PtRu/3D GF nanocatalyst showed excellent catalytic activity toward MOR and EOR compared with PtRu/Graphene (Commercial graphene), PtRu/C (Vulcan XC-72R carbon), and PtRu alone. The crystal size of PtRu on 3D GF was reduced to 3.5 nm and its active surface area was enhanced to 186.2 m2 g−1. Consequently, the MOR and EOR rates were nearly doubled on PtRu/3D GF compared to those on PtRu/Graphene. •3D graphene foam was used as the scaffold for the deposition of PtRu nanoparticles.•PtRu/3D graphene foam nanocatalyst showed excellent catalytic activity performance.•PtRu/3D graphene foam nanocatalyst exhibited a higher tolerance to poisoning CO.