Nanosized Mo-doped CeO2 enhances the electrocatalytic properties of the Pt anode catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells. Issue 4 (22nd December 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhang, Genlei; Yang, Zhenzhen; Zhang, Wen; Wang, Yuxin
• Is Part Of: Journal of materials chemistry. Volume 5:Issue 4(2017)
• Page Start: 1481
• Page End: 1487
• Publication Date: 2016-12-22
• Subjects: Materials -- Research -- Periodicals; Chemistry, Analytic -- Periodicals; Environmental sciences -- Research -- Periodicals; 543.0284
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ta09043e
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2050-7488

Abstract

Abstract : A novel Pt/Ce0.7 Mo0.3 O2− δ –C electrocatalyst has been developed for methanol oxidation. A direct methanol fuel cell integrating this catalyst as the anode catalyst showed superior power density compared to that with a state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C-JM catalyst. Abstract : The direct methanol fuel cell is an emerging energy conversion device for which Pt is considered as the state-of-the-art anode catalyst. Herein, we show that the activity and stability of Pt for methanol oxidation can be significantly enhanced using Mo-doped CeO2 (Ce1− x Mo x O2− δ ) solid solutions as co-catalysts. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals a strong electronic interaction between Ce1− x Mo x O2− δ and Pt in Pt/Ce1− x Mo x O2− δ –C catalysts. Among all Pt/Ce1− x Mo x O2− δ –C catalysts, the catalyst with a Ce/Mo atomic ratio of 7/3 (Pt/Ce0.7 Mo0.3 O2− δ –C) exhibits the highest activity, up to 1888.4 mA mgPt −1, which is one of the best results reported so far. A direct methanol fuel cell incorporating the Pt/Ce0.7 Mo0.3 O2− δ –C as the anode catalyst exhibits a maximum power density of 69.4 mW cm −2, which is 1.8 times that of an analogous fuel cell using the commercial Pt/C-JM as the anode catalyst.