Aqueous-based synthesis of ruthenium-selenium catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction.
Carbon-supported Se/Ru(Se) catalysts of a broad range of composition were synthesized via a reduction procedure in which a mixture of RuCl3, SeO2 and Black Pearl carbon was treated with NaBH4 in basic media at room temperature. Physical characterization of the catalyst was performed by X-ray diffraction, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. The effect of NaOH addition during the reduction by NaBH4 and the impact of a post-reduction thermal treatment at 500 degrees C were interrogated. The activity of the catalyst towards the oxygen reduction reaction was studied by the use of a rotating disk electrode. It was found that the half-wave potential for the oxygen reduction reaction was about 0.78 V vs. RHE. The Se-to-Ru ratio and metal loading on carbon were optimized for the oxygen reduction reaction and the optimized catalyst was tested at the cathode of a polymer electrolyte fuel cell. The stability of the Se/Ru(Se) catalyst was evaluated by electrochemical cycling and by leaching the catalyst in 0.5 M H2SO4 at 80 degrees C.
Delacôte
Cyril
C
Department of Chemistry, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL 61801, USA.
Bonakdarpour
Arman
A
Johnston
Christina M
CM
Zelenay
Piotr
P
Wieckowski
Andrzej
A
D002384:Catalysis; D003198:Computer Simulation; D011211:Electric Power Supplies; D004563:Electrochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D004566:Electrodes; D004579:Electron Transport; D008956:Models, Chemical; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D010100:Oxygen / Q000737:chemistry*; D012428:Ruthenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D012643:Selenium / Q000737:chemistry*; D013499:Surface Properties; D014867:Water / Q000737:chemistry*
D014867:Water; D012428:Ruthenium; D012643:Selenium; D010100:Oxygen