Preparation and characterization of oxo composite Pt/C catalyst and study on its catalytic performance for electro-oxidation of methanol

The weak multi-step reduction of stannous acid on hexachloroplatinic acid was utilized to prepare a new type of Pt/C catalyst. The catalyst was characterized by XRD, HRTEM, EDS, DSC and H-adsorption electrochemistry, and its catalytic activity for electro-oxidation of methanol was estimated by cyclic voltammogram and potentialstatic steady-state polarization. The results indicate that Pt/C catalyst prepared by the new method is with high activity for electro-oxidation of methanol which possesses about two-fold mass activity at 0.5 V (SCE) compared with Pt/C prepared by sulfurous route. The stannous method can produce a composite carbon-supported catalyst with Pt metal and Pt oxides co-exiting within nanometer dimension. The oxo composite catalyst could enhance the harmony of the hi-function of Pt during electro-oxidation of methanol.