Electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation with ultra low content of Pt and Ru

We have developed efficient electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation using new synthetic method facilitating deposition of Pt-Ru very thin nanoplatelets on carbon nanoparticles The method involves oxidation of carbon support, adsorption of Pb(2+), its reduction and galvanic displacement of Pb(0) by Pt and/or Ru. The Pt mass activity of this catalyst is about 10 times higher than that of the commercial Pt-Ru/C. The catalyst with the 1:1 Pt/Ru ratio displayed the highest methanol oxidation activity per surface Pt atom. Our results demonstrate the new synthetic method that yields the catalyst with potential for solving the problem of high Pt loading in direct methanol fuel cell anodes. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.