A simple and effective way to overcome carbon monoxide poisoning of platinum surfaces in direct formic acid fuel cells

Abstract

A glassy carbon (GC) electrode modified with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs), Pt/MWCNTs-GC, has been introduced for formic acid electro-oxidation (FAO). A similar loading of PtNPs has been conserved for a proper comparison between the Pt/MWCNTs-GC and the unmodified Pt/GC electrodes. The modification with MWCNTs could enhance the loading of PtNPs onto the GC electrode in a way that minimizes its agglomeration and increases its dispersion in the CNTs network. This not only increases the surface area exposed to the reaction but also interrupts the contiguity of the Pt active sites minimizing the adsorption of the poisoning CO. As a result, both of the Ipd/Ipind and Ipd/Ipb ratios were increased by 12.5 and 2.5 times. Several techniques will be combined to track the catalyst activity and to determine its morphology.