Composite Anode Catalysts Based on PtRu and Metal Oxide Nanoparticles for DMFCs

A composite anode was investigated with the aim of enhancing the performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Fine iridium oxide nanoparticles were synthesized by a sulfite complex method. These IrO2 nanoparticles were mixed by sonication with a 50% PtRu/C catalyst prepared by the same procedure, considered as benchmark anode catalyst. A significantly higher performance was recorded for the composite electrode compared to the bare one based only on PtRu/C. The results confirm that the electrocatalytic activity is related to the characteristics of water displacement of the additive, evidencing that a multifunctional catalyst can operate better than PtRu for methanol oxidation since this multi-step process requires different functionalities to speed up the reaction rate.