Activity of PtSnRh/C nanoparticles for the electrooxidation of C1 and C2 alcohols

A systematic investigation of alcohol adsorption and oxidation on binary and ternary electrocatalysts in acid medium was performed. Binary (PtRh) and ternary (PtRhSn) were prepared by the Pechini modified method on carbon Vulcan XC-72, and different nominal compositions were characterized by energy dispersive X-ray and X-ray diffraction (XRD) techniques. The XRD results showed that the Pt₈₀Rh₂₀/C and Pt₇₀Sn₁₀Rh₂₀/C electrocatalysts consisted of the Pt displaced phase, suggesting the formation of a solid solution between the metals Pt/Rh and Pt/Sn.Electrochemical investigations on these different electrode materials were carried out as a function of the electrocatalyst composition, in acid medium (0.5 mol dm^− 3 H₂SO₄), and in the absence and presence of different alcohols (methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol). The electrochemical results obtained at room temperature have shown that the Pt₇₀Sn₁₀Rh₂₀/C catalyst display better catalytic activity for alcohol oxidation compared with the binary catalyst.In situ reflectance infrared spectroscopy measurements have shown that the oxidation of alcohols mentioned produced CO₂ at low potentials indicating that the materials synthesized could be used as efficient anodes in the fuel cell applications.