Carbon supported Pt-shell modified PdCo-core with electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation

A catalyst for anode oxidation of methanol, carbon supported pseudo-core-shell PdCo@Pt particles with Pt shell is prepared via a two-step procedure, which consists of an organic colloid method and a surface replacement reaction step. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD) are used for the catalysts characterization. The electrochemical surface areas (ECSA) are 6 and 4 times as large as those of Pt/C and PtRu/C catalysts, respectively. Furthermore, based on the Pt mass, the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and chronoamperometry results demonstrate that the electrocatalytic activity and stability of the PdCo@Pt/C catalyst for methanol oxidation are much higher than those of the Pt/C and PtRu/C catalysts. The PdCo@Pt/C catalyst is better utilization of Pt than pure Pt and Pt-based alloy catalysts. [GRAPHICS] (C) 2010 Professor T. Nejat Veziroglu. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.