Graphene-like materials as an alternative to carbon Vulcan support for the electrochemical reforming of ethanol: Towards a complete optimization of the anodic catalyst

• Published in: Journal of electroanalytical chemistry (Lausanne, Switzerland) Vol. 921; p. 116680
• Main Authors: Serrano-Jiménez, J., de la Osa, A.R., Rodríguez-Gómez, A., Sánchez, P., Romero, A., de Lucas-Consuegra, A.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 15-09-2022; Elsevier Science Ltd
• Subjects: Bimetals; Carbon; Catalysts; Electrical resistivity; Electrochemical reforming; Electrolysis; Ethanol; Ethanol electro oxidation; Ethanol electrolysis; Graphene; Graphene-like supports; Hydrogen production; Membranes; Metal particles; Nitrogen; Optimization; Oxidation; Pt-Ni anode; Reforming; Surface area; Pt-Ni anode; Ethanol electrolysis; Graphene-like supports; Electrochemical reforming; Ethanol electro oxidation; Hydrogen production
• ISSN: 1572-6657; 1873-2569
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jelechem.2022.116680

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•GNPs is a competitive anodic catalyst support alternative to Carbon Vulcan.•Pt-Ni catalyst achieved better electro-oxidation activity comparable to Pt-Ru.•An overall optimization of the anodic catalyst and loading have been performed.•Pt/Ni 2:1 (40 wt% metal loading) presented the highest activity and durability.•Acetaldehyde was the most selective organic product from ethanol electrooxidation.
This study aims to investigate the viability of using commercial graphene-like materials as Pt based anodic catalyst supports as an alternative to the extended use of carbon Vulcan XC-72, for the ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Among the different investigated catalysts, Pt supported on graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) resulted to be the most active, which was attributed to a combination of a higher BET surface area and a slightly higher amount of nitrogen in comparison with other supports. A higher BET surface area of the support could mean a larger pore volume available to settle the metal particles, whereas a greater amount of nitrogen may improve its electrical conductivity. A complete optimization of the Pt metal loading and Pt-Ni ratio on the final anodic bimetallic catalyst was also performed to prepare a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for a proton exchange membrane ethanol electrolysis cell (PEMEC). Finally, the metal loading on MEA was optimized towards the production of hydrogen and value-added products resulting from the EOR. The MEA based on the optimized anodic Pt-Ni/GNPs catalyst allow to obtain current density values around 590 mA·cm−2 (at 1.4 V), higher than previous studies based on Pt-Ru and Pt-Sn catalysts supported on Carbon Vulcan.