title: Platinum-gold nanoclusters as catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells.
abstract: Nanosized platinum-gold alloys clusters have been deposited on gas diffusion electrode by sputter deposition. The deposits were characterized by FE-SEM, TEM and XPS in order to verify the formation of alloy nanoparticles and to study the influence of deposition technique on the nanomorphology. The deposition by sputtering process allowed a uniform distribution of metal particles on porous surface of carbon supports. Typical island growth mode was observed with the formation of a dispersed metal nanoclusters (mean size about 5 nm). Cyclic voltammetry was used to determine the electrochemical active surface and the electrocatalytic performance of the PtAu electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction. The data were re-calculated in the form of mass specific activity (MSA). The sputter-catalyzed electrodes showed higher performance and stability compared to commercial catalysts.
authors.affiliation: ENEA Casaccia Research Center, Physical Technologies and New Materials, via Anguillarese 301, 00060 Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Giorgi
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gagliardi
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Serra
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alvisi
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Signore
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Piscopiello