Electrochemical fabrication of platinum composite catalysts and their application for methanol oxidation

Abstract The electrosynthesis and characterization of poly (aniline and its derivatives) on the pretreated aluminum (Al/Pt), platinum plated aluminum (Al-Pt) and common Pt electrodes were investigated. The electrooxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry in 0.1M sulfuric acid as supporting electrolyte. Enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of methanol was noticed when the bulk Pt and Al-Pt or Pt-Pt were covered by polyaminoanilines and polyhydroxyanilines films due to the permselectivity and permeability of their films for methanol molecules. A high catalytic current related to methanol oxidation was found for the polymer modified electrodes when Pt nano-particles were embedded into the polymer films referred to as polymers-stabilized Pt nano-particles. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity might be due to the dispersion of Pt nano-particles into the polymer matrixes and the synergistic effects between the dispersed Pt particles and their matrixes.

Keywords:

Poly (aniline and its depravities)-Pt composite electrode , Permselective polymers , Methanol electrooxidation