Multiwalled carbon nanotube supported Pt–Sn–M (M = Ru, Ni, and Ir) catalysts for ethanol electrooxidation

In the present study, Pt–Sn–M (M = Ru, Ni, and Ir) nanocatalysts were supported on multiwalled carbon nanotube and their electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation in membraneless fuel cells was investigated. The combination of monometallic Pt/MWCNTs, bi-metallic Pt–Sn/MWCNTs, and tri-metallic Pt–Sn–Ru/MWCNT, Pt–Sn–Ni/MWCNT, and Pt–Sn–Ir/MWCNT nanocatalysts were prepared by the ultrasonic assisted chemical reduction method. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used for the catalyst characterization. The electrocatalytic activities of the catalysts were investigated in half-cell experiments using cyclic voltammetry (CV), CO stripping voltammetry, and chronoamperometry (CA). During the experiments performed on a single membraneless ethanol fuel cell (MLEFC), the Pt–Sn–Ir/MWCNTs exhibited a better catalytic activity from among all the catalysts prepared, with a power density of 39.25 mW cm −2 .