On the electrocatalytic activity of PtAu bimetallic systems in highly concentrated methanol solutions
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2013-05-21
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Abstract
The electrocatalytic behavior of Pt and PtAu bimetallic electrodes of bulk composition of 20, 40, 60 and 80 at.% is studied in 0.5 M solution of H2SO4 in dried CH3OH and 0.5 M solution of H2SO4 in CH3OH:H2O in a ratio of 1:1. Cyclic voltammetry is applied varying the potential ranges studied and the scan rate applied. The experiments are performed at four temperature values in the interval from 293.2 K to 323.2 K. The data obtained show that O-H bond scission occurs preferably in the first medium leading to formation of formaldehyde and formic acid, while sequential C-H rupture takes place in the second one to yield COads . The apparent activation energy of the process is found to decrease in both media with Au bulk increase till about 60 at. %. It is concluded that the amount of water present controls the pathway of methanol transformation while alloying favors predominantly the kinetics of the process through its effect on the surface susceptibility to poisonous intermediates.