Polyaniline-Manganese Ferrite Supported Platinum-Ruthenium Nanohybrid Electrocatalyst: Synergizing Tailoring Toward Boosted Ethanol Oxidation Reaction

Tailoring effective electrocatalysts for the ethanol oxidation process with low-price, high electrocatalytic activity, and long lifetime is crucial for large-scale application of direct ethanol fuel cells. Herein, it was aimed to provide a facile method for designing Polyaniline-Manganese ferrite (PANI-MnFe2O4) supported nanocatalysts modified with Pt/Ru to be utilized for ethanol electrooxidation. The successful synthesis of the PANI-MnFe2O4/Pt/Ru nanocomposite was confirmed by the physicochemical analysis techniques including Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The electrooxidation of ethanol at room temperature was investigated using a number of electrochemical characterizations such as cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, and chronoamperometry techniques. In comparison to other electrodes, the PANI-MnFe2O4/Pt-Ru electrode demonstrated superior efficiency in terms of boosting forward current (I-f, 100 mAcm(-2)) and increasing the electrochemically active surface area (ECSA, 30.3) that was required for ethanol molecules during the oxidation process. Furthermore, results demonstrated that introducing Ru and Pt to the PANI-MnFe2O4 support enhanced its efficiency towards the ethanol oxidation reaction by boosting both the stability (94%) and the carbon monoxide tolerance, which are both critical for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell practical applications. This study paves the way for a novel approach for engineering high-performance, low-cost electrocatalysts that may be utilized as an alternative to commercial electrocatalysts in fuel cell technology.

Automated summary

This study successfully developed PANI-MnFe2O4/Pt/Ru nanocomposite as an effective catalyst for ethanol oxidation process with improved efficiency, stability, and carbon monoxide tolerance, which are essential for practical applications in alkaline direct ethanol fuel cells.