title: Fast preparation of PtRu catalysts supported on carbon nanofibers by the microwave-polyol method and their application to fuel cells.
abstract: PtRu alloy nanoparticles (24 +/- 1 wt %, Ru/Pt atomic ratios = 0.91-0.97) supported on carbon nanofibers (CNFs) were prepared within a few minutes by using a microwave-polyol method. Three types of CNFs with very different surface structures, such as platelet, herringbone, and tubular ones, were used as new carbon supports. The dependence of particles sizes and electrochemical properties on the structures of CNFs was examined. It was found that the methanol fuel cell activities of PtRu/CNF catalysts were in the order of platelet > tubular > herringbone. The methanol fuel cell activities of PtRu/CNFs measured at 60 degrees C were 1.7-3.0 times higher than that of a standard PtRu (29 wt %, Ru/Pt atomic ratio = 0.92) catalyst loaded on carbon black (Vulcan XC72R) support. The best electrocatalytic activity was obtained for the platelet CNF, which is characterized by its edge surface and high graphitization degree.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Materials Chemistry and Engineering, Kyushu University, Kasuga 816-8580, Japan.
authors.forename: Masaharu
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Masatoshi
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kubokawa
authors.forename: Ryuto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Yano
authors.forename: Nobuhiro
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Miyamae
authors.forename: Takeshi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Tsuji
authors.forename: Mun-Suk
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Jun
authors.forename: Seonghwa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Seongyop
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Seong-Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Yoon
authors.forename: Isao
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Mochida