Platinum nanoparticles/functionalized carbon nanoparticles composites supported on the carbon-ceramic electrode and their electroactivity for ethanol oxidation

Abstract

The electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol was studied for the platinum nanoparticles/ functionalized carbon nanoparticles composites supported at the carbon-ceramic electrode (PtNPs/tosyl-CNPs/CCE) as an electrocatalyst in acidic medium. The PtNPs/tosyl-CNPs/CCE electrocatalyst was synthesized by electrodeposition of PtNPs on/in casted tosyl-CNPs at the CCE. The characterization of the fabricated nanocomposite was done by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) spectroscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. The obtained electrocatalytic oxidation of ethanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. The results showed that the PtNPs/tosyl-CNPs/CCE was electrocatalytically more active than PtNPs/CCE and had high anodic peak current densities, low onset potential, low poisoning and high stability. Hence, the proposed nanocomposite, PtNPs/tosyl-CNPs/CCE, can be extended as an attractive and promising electrocatalyst for the ethanol electrooxidation reaction in fuel cells.