Preparation of Pt-Re/Vulcan carbon nanocomposites using a single-source molecular precursor and relative performance as a direct methanol fuel cell electrooxidation catalyst.
Pt-Re/Vulcan carbon powder nanocomposites have been prepared with total metal loadings of 18 wt.% and 40 wt.% using a new non-cluster (1:1)-PtRe bimetallic precursor as the source of metal. Pt-Re nanoparticles having an average diameter of ca. 6 nm and atomic stoichiometry near 1:1 are formed. TEM, on-particle HR-EDS, and powder XRD data are consistent with the formation of Pt-Re alloy nanoparticles having a hexagonal unit cell with cell constants of a = 2.77 A and c = 4.47 A. A nanocomposite prepared at higher total metal loading under more rigorous thermal treatment also contains Pt-Re alloy nanoparticles having a fcc unit cell structure (a = 3.95 A). The precise dependence of Pt-Re nanocrystal structure on the thermal history of the nanocomposite specimen has not been investigated in detail. While these Pt-Re/carbon nanocomposites are active as anode catalysts in operating direct methanol fuel cells, the measured performance is less than that of commercial Pt-Ru/carbon catalysts and has marginal practical importance.
Anderson
Angela D
AD
Department of Chemistry, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tennessee 37235, USA.
Deluga
Gregg A
GA
Moore
Joshua T
JT
Vergne
Matthew J
MJ
Hercules
David M
DM
Kenik
Edward A
EA
Lukehart
C M
CM
D000497:Alloys; D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry; D002384:Catalysis; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry; D004566:Electrodes; D006358:Hot Temperature; D000432:Methanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D008956:Models, Chemical; D036103:Nanotechnology / Q000379:methods*; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*; D012211:Rhenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013696:Temperature; D014961:X-Ray Diffraction
D000497:Alloys; D037742:Nanotubes, Carbon; D010984:Platinum; D012211:Rhenium; D002244:Carbon; D010100:Oxygen; D000432:Methanol