Direct methanol fuel cells using Se/Ru core/shell cathodes provide high catalytic activity and stability
✍ Scribed by Zih-Yu Shih; Zusing Yang; Zong-Hong Lin; Huan-Tsung Chang
- Publisher
- Elsevier Science
- Year
- 2011
- Tongue
- English
- Weight
- 821 KB
- Volume
- 36
- Category
- Article
- ISSN
- 0360-3199
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✦ Synopsis
Cathode catalyst
Se/Ru core/shell nanoparticles a b s t r a c t
We have synthesized Se/Ru core/shell nanoparticles (NPs) as cathode electrocatalysts. By controlling the concentration of RuCl 3 , we obtained Se/Ru 0.2 , Se/Ru 0.7 , and Se/Ru 1.1 core/ shell NPs. The mass activities of as-prepared catalysts were 58.0, 32.1, and 12.5 A/g, respectively; part of these values are higher than that (2.2 A/g) of a commercial PtRu electrode and those (22.8, 28.0, and 24.5 A/g) of traditional carbon-supported Ru x Se y electrodes. The Se/Ru 1.1 electrode generated the greatest current density and was more tolerant toward poisoning in the presence of 1 M MeOH; cyclic voltammetry measurements revealed that this electrode was stable for at least 100 cycles. This is the first example demonstrating preparation of Se/Ru core/shell NPs that provided excellent catalytic activity and stability toward oxidation of MeOH. With their ease of large-scale preparation, low cost, high electroactivity, and high stability, such Se/Ru core/shell NPs have great potential for use as cathode electrocatalysts in direct MeOH fuel cells.