Preparation of Nanostructured Pd-C-Ru Composite Electrodes for Alcohol Electrooxidations. Part-I: A Study of Ethanol Oxidation by Cyclic Voltammetry and Impedance Spectroscopy

ABSTRACT

Ternary nanocomposite films of Pd, Ru and nanocarbon (C) are obtained on glassy carbon (GC) and studied by XRD, TEM, cyclic voltammetry (CV), impedance and chronoamperometric techniques for their use as electrocatalysts for ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR). Results show that introduction of Ru to the Pd-0.5wt%C composite electrode increases the electrocatalytic activity greatly. It is observed that with Ru addition from 1 to 50 wt%, the rate for EOR initially increases, attains a maximum (at 20wt %) and declines thereafter. Further, among the electrocatalysts investigated, the Pd- 0.5wt%C-20wt% Ru electrode has displayed the greatest electrocatalytic activity. This electrode has nearly two times higher activity than the base electrode (Pd-0.5wt%C).