Platinum-rare earth intermetallic alloys as anode electrocatalysts for borohydride oxidation

• Type: Article in International Scientific Journal
• Date: 2011

Authors

Saturnino, PG (Author) Other; Maccio, D (Author) Other; Saccone, A (Author) Other; Sequeira, CAC (Author) Other

Journal

Title: Catalysis Today

Vol. 170 No. 1

Pages: 134-140

ISSN: 0920-5861

Publisher: Elsevier

Indexing

ISI Web of Knowledge - 28 Citations

Scopus - 35 Citations

Other information

Authenticus ID: P-002-PN5

DOI: 10.1016/j.cattod.2011.03.037

Abstract (EN): Sodium borohydride (NaBH4) is being actively investigated as an anodic fuel for direct borohydride fuel cells. Platinum (Pt) displays a rather good borohydride (BH4-) oxidation activity but its catalytic effect towards the BH4- hydrolysis leads to an overall number of exchanged electrons in the oxidation process, n, between 2 and 4. The doping of Pt with rare earth (RE) elements may decrease or increase the BH4- hydrolysis, thereby increasing or decreasing the n value. Among other factors, these changes will depend on the composition of the alloying elements as well as on the applied anodic potential range. In this paper, Pt and three Pt-RE intermetallic alloy (Pt-Ho, Pt-Sm, and Pt-Ce) electrodes are studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronopotentiometry (CP) in the temperature range 25-55 degrees C. Modelling of CV and CP data indicate that these Pt-RE electrodes do not show enhanced performance for the BH4- oxidation in comparison to the single Pt electrocatalyst. Of the Pt alloys, the Pt-Ho shows the highest catalytic activity for the BH4- oxidation reaction and the Pt-Ce the worst. Relevant kinetic parameters (n, alpha, k(s)) are also estimated.

Language: English

Type (Professor's evaluation): Scientific

No. of pages: 7