Composites of Titanium–Molybdenum Mixed Oxides and Non-Traditional Carbon Materials: Innovative Supports for Platinum Electrocatalysts for Polymer Electrolyte Membrane Fuel Cells

Ilgar Ayyubov, Emília Tálas*, Irina Borbáth, Zoltán Pászti, Cristina Silva, Ágnes Szegedi, Andrei Kuncser, M. Suha Yazici, István E. Sajó, Tamás Szabó*, András Tompos

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

TiO2-based mixed oxide–carbon composite support for Pt electrocatalysts provides higher stability and CO tolerance under the working conditions of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells compared to traditional carbon supports. Non-traditional carbon materials like graphene nanoplatelets and graphite oxide used as the carbonaceous component of the composite can contribute to its affordability and/or functionality. Ti(1−x)MoxO2-C composites involving these carbon materials were prepared through a sol–gel route; the effect of the extension of the procedure through a solvothermal treatment step was assessed. Both supports and supported Pt catalysts were characterized by physicochemical methods. Electrochemical behavior of the catalysts in terms of stability, activity, and CO tolerance was studied. Solvothermal treatment decreased the fracture of graphite oxide plates and enhanced the formation of a reduced graphene oxide-like structure, resulting in an electrically more conductive and more stable catalyst. In parallel, solvothermal treatment enhanced the growth of mixed oxide crystallites, decreasing the chance of formation of Pt–oxide–carbon triple junctions, resulting in somewhat less CO tolerance. The electrocatalyst containing graphene nanoplatelets, along with good stability, has the highest activity in oxygen reduction reaction compared to the other composite-supported catalysts.

Original languageEnglish
Article number1053
JournalNanomaterials
Volume14
Issue number12
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Jun 2024

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2024 by the authors.

Keywords

  • electrocatalyst
  • graphene nanoplatelets
  • graphite oxide
  • mixed oxide–carbon composites
  • solvothermal treatment
  • sol–gel method

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