(422f) Enhancing Methanol Electrooxidation Activity Using Double Oxide Catalyst Support

Electrooxidation of methanol was investigated on platinum catalyst supported on a double oxide nanocomposite of tin oxide clusters and carbon-doped titanium dioxide nanocoatings on carbon nanotubes. The electrocatalyst demonstrated a higher forward peak current density in methanol eectrooxidation than the electrocatalyst with a single tin oxide or just carbon as support. Formation kinetics of the oxygenated species (-OH) groups was dramatically enhanced in the catalyst with double oxide support. This leads to a much lower onset potential for adsorbed CO oxidation with an enhanced bifunctional effect in tin oxide. Doping with carbon in the titanium oxide enables backward electron donation, making supported platinum more electron negative and stable. Binding energy shifts in oxidation states was observed for the double oxide support catalyst and is attributed to strong metal support interactions. This study demonstrated a synergistic effect of combining bifunctional and electronic mechanisms with double oxide support in the enhancement of methanol electrooxidation.