Preparation and Performance of Single Walled Carbon Nanotubes Supported Anode Catalysts (20%Pt-10%Ru) of Direct Methanol Fuel Cell

Abstract

The platinum (20% in mass) and ruthenium(10% in mass) catalysts supported on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) were prepared by liquid reduction method. The optimum technical conditions for purifying the SWCNTs were experimentally selected to be: nitric acid concentration of 4M, reaction temperature of 103°C and reaction time of 12 h. The optimum technical conditions for preparing 20%Pt-10%Ru/SWCNTs were determined to be: H2PtCl6–RuCl3 concentrations of 0.005 g·cm-3– 0.005 g·cm-3 and temperature of 60 with the purified SWCNTs as carrier. Under the optimum preparation conditions, the synthesized 20%Pt-10%Ru/ SWCNTs has smaller average catalyst particle diameter(d), larger specific surface area(α) and higher power density(P) (d=2.1nm, α=136.31 m2·g-1 and P=117.1 mW·cm-2·g-1) than 20%Pt-10%Ru/C (JM) ( d=2.4nm, α=119.27 m2·g-1 and P=75mW·cm-2·g-1 ), 20%Pt-10%Ru/MWCNTs ( d=3.0nm, α=95.42 m2·g-1 and P=67mW·cm-2·g-1) and 20%Pt-10%Ru/C (d=3.1nm, α=92.34 m2·g-1 and P=63mW·cm-2·g-1), respectively.