Electrooxidation of 1-propanol on the mixture of nanoparticles of Pt and RuO<inf>2</inf>

Abstract

The catalyst composed of a mixture of nanocrystals of metallic Pt and rutile RuO2 was prepared by a thermal procedure on a titanium substrate. An effect of the mixture composition on its microstructure, surface properties, and catalytic activity for an electrooxidation of 1-propanol in an alkaline environment was examined. The relation between the microstructure of the Pt/RuO2 catalyst and its catalytic activity was determined. It was found that the increase in the RuO2 content resulted in the increase in the catalytic activity, which reached its maximum value and then decreased. The catalytic effect was caused by the bifunctional mechanism of the catalyst Pt/RuO2. Ru-OH species were formed on Ru atoms of RuO2 nanocrystals at more negative potentials than on Pt. These oxy species oxidized firmly adsorbed intermediates propionyl, COad, C2Hyad, and CHad and, thus, released Pt atoms for the adsorption and dehydrogenation of the subsequent molecules of 1-propanol. Graphic abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.].