title: Activity of platinum/carbon and palladium/carbon catalysts promoted by Ni2 P in direct ethanol fuel cells.
abstract: Ethanol is an alternative fuel for direct alcohol fuel cells, in which the electrode materials are commonly based on Pt or Pd. Owing to the excellent promotion effect of Ni2 P that was found in methanol oxidation, we extended the catalyst system of Pt or Pd modified by Ni2 P in direct ethanol fuel cells. The Ni2 P-promoted catalysts were compared to commercial catalysts as well as to reference catalysts promoted with only Ni or only P. Among the studied catalysts, Pt/C and Pd/C modified by Ni2 P (30 wt %) showed both the highest activity and stability. Upon integration into the anode of a homemade direct ethanol fuel cell, the Pt-Ni2 P/C-30 % catalyst showed a maximum power density of 21 mW cm(-2) , which is approximately two times higher than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The Pd-Ni2 P/C-30 % catalyst exhibited a maximum power density of 90 mW cm(-2) . This is approximately 1.5 times higher than that of a commercial Pd/C catalyst. The discharge stability on both two catalysts was also greatly improved over a 12 h discharge operation.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Electroanalytical Chemistry, Laboratory of Advanced Power Sources, Changchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Changchun 130022 (PR China), . cn.
authors.forename: Guoqiang
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Li
authors.forename: Ligang
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Feng
authors.forename: Jinfa
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chang
authors.forename: Björn
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Wickman
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Grönbeck
authors.forename: Changpeng
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Wei
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Xing
mesh_terms: D002244:Carbon / Q000737:chemistry*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000737:chemistry*; D046529:Microscopy, Electron, Transmission; D009532:Nickel / Q000737:chemistry*; D010165:Palladium / Q000737:chemistry*; D010710:Phosphates / Q000737:chemistry; D010984:Platinum / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D010710:Phosphates; D000431:Ethanol; D010984:Platinum; D010165:Palladium; D002244:Carbon; D009532:Nickel
keywords: cyclic voltammetry; electrocatalysis; fuel cells; palladium; platinum