PtRu Particles Supported on Two-dimensional Titanium Carbide/Carbon Nanotubes: Preparation and Electrocatalytic Properties

doi:10.15541/jim20190107

Abstract

Abstract:

Direct methanol fuel cells have good application prospects due to their advantages of convenient operation, high conversion efficiency, low operating temperature, low pollution, and easy storage and easy transportation of liquid fuel. However, existing anode catalysts have shortcomings such as low catalytic activity and poor resistance to CO toxicity which restrict its commercial application. In this study, a series of PtRu/(Ti₃C₂T_x)_0.5-(MWCNTs)_0.5 anode catalyst materials with different Pt and Ru ratios were prepared by three-step method. Ti₃C₂T_x was obtained by HF corrosion of Ti₃AlC₂, and acidified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). After the compounding, Pt and Ru particles are supported by a solvothermal method. The synergistic relationship of Ru and Pt atoms was analyzed by XRD, SEM, EDS, TEM, and XPS. The results show that the Ru atoms are mixed with the Pt atoms to form PtRu bimetallic alloy with a particle size of about 3.6 nm. The electrochemical results show that the Pt₁Ru_0.5/(Ti₃C₂T_x)_0.5-(MWCNTs)_0.5 catalyst has the best electrochemical performance. Its electrochemical active area (ECSA) is 139.5 m ²/g, and positive peak current density is 36.4 mA/cm ².

Key words: two-dimensional Ti₃C₂T_x material, PtRu nanoparticle, direct methanol fuel cells, electrocatalytic performance

CLC Number:

TQ174

LI Ya-Hui, ZHANG Jian-Feng, CAO Hui-Yang, ZHANG Xin, JIANG Wan. PtRu Particles Supported on Two-dimensional Titanium Carbide/Carbon Nanotubes: Preparation and Electrocatalytic Properties[J]. Journal of Inorganic Materials, 2020, 35(1): 79-85.

Figures/Tables 7

Fig. 1 Schematic preparation process for PtRu/(Ti3C2Tx)0.5- (MWCNTs)0.5 catalysts

Fig. 2 (a) XRD patterns of PtRu/TM with different Ru contents, (b) SEM images of Pt1Ru0.5/TM; (c-d) HRTEM and selected area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern of Pt1Ru0.5/TM

Fig. 3 (a) Ti, (b) C, and (c) Pt, (d) Ru, and (e) O, EDS images of Pt1Ru0.5/TM, and (f) corresponding SEM image

Fig. 4 (a) XPS survey spectrum, (b) high-resolution O1s core-level XPS spectra, (c) high-resolution Pt4f core-level XPS spectra of Pt/TM and Pt1Ru0.5/TM electrocatalysts, and (d) high-resolution Ru3p core-level XPS spectra of Pt1Ru0.5/TM electrocatalysts

Fig. 5 Cyclic voltammetry curves of PtRu/TM with different Ru contents in 1 mol/L H2SO4 at 20 mV/s (a), the corresponding ECSA values were shown in (b, c) in 1 mol/L H2SO4 + 2 mol/L CH3OH at 20 mV/s, and (d) corresponding forward peak current densities (IF) were shown in (d)

Fig. 6 (a) Nyquist plots of EIS and (b) chronoamperometric curves of PtRu/(Ti3C2Tx)0.5-(MWCNTs)0.5 with different Ru contents in 1 mol/L H2SO4+2 mol/L CH3OH

Fig. 7 Comparison between PtRu/TM with different Ru contents and recent Pt-based catalyst of ECSA and IF values

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