Electrooxidations of Ethanol and Acetaldehyde using PtSn/C and PtSnO2/C Catalysts prepared by a Modified Alcohol-reduction Process

Well-dispersed PtSn/C and PtSnO2/C catalysts with anatomic ratio of Pt:Sn (3:1) were deposited onto carbon using a modified alcohol-reduction process for electrochemical oxidation of ethanol. These materials were characterized using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). An electrochemical study in theethanol and acid medium showed that the PtSnO2/C catalyst had a better performance compared with the PtSn/C and Pt/C catalysts. The CV analysis indicated that the presence of SnO2 increased the sensitivity of the catalyst to oxidation of acetaldehyde because of its low onset potential for the electrooxidation of adsorbed ethanol and acetaldehyde compared to PtSn/C and Pt/C. Since the activation of C-C bond breaking results in the generation of higher current density (mass activity) at higher potentials, the PtSnO2/C catalyst has been found favourable for the overall oxidation of ethanol.