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The influence of a new fabrication procedure on the catalytic activity of ruthenium-selenium catalysts

Lookup NU author(s): Dr Hua Cheng, Wanqing Yuan, Emeritus Professor Keith Scott

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Abstract

A new procedure has been introduced to enhance catalytic activity of ruthenium-selenium electro-catalysts for oxygen reduction, in which materials are treated under hydrogen atmosphere at elevated temperatures. The characterisation using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectroscopy or energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy exhibited that the treatment at 400 °C made catalysts denser while their porous nature remained, led to a good degree of crystallinity and an optimum Se:Ru ratio. The half cell test confirms feasibility of the new procedure; the catalyst treated at 400 °C gave the highest reduction current (55.9 mA cm-2 at -0.4 V) and a low methanol oxidation effect coefficient (3.8%). The direct methanol fuel cell with the RuSe 400 °C cathode catalyst (2 mg RuSe cm-2) generated a power density of 33.8 mW cm-2 using 2 M methanol and 2 bar oxygen at 90 °C. The new procedure produced the catalysts with low decay rates. The best sample was compared to the Pt and to the reported ruthenium-selenium catalyst. Possible reasons for the observations are discussed. © 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Publication metadata

Author(s): Cheng H, Yuan W, Scott K

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: Electrochimica Acta

Year: 2006

Volume: 52

Issue: 2

Pages: 466-473

ISSN (print): 0013-4686

ISSN (electronic): 1873-3859

Publisher: Pergamon

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.electacta.2006.05.028

DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2006.05.028

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