Enhanced activity for ethanol electrooxidation on Pt-MgO/C catalysts

MgO promoted Pt/C electrocatalysts were rapidly prepared by intermittent microwave heating method and characterized using different techniques. Electrooxidation of ethanol on MgO promoted Pt/C catalysts in alkaline media was studied. Such electrocatalysts are superior to pure Pt electrocatalysts. The influence of the amount of MgO in the catalysts on catalytic activity for ethanol oxidation was tested. The electrode with a weight ratio of Pt to MgO of 4:1 showed the highest electrocatalytic activity for ethanol oxidation. The presence of MgO in the electrocatalysts improved the kinetic processes, giving the exchange current density for ethanol oxidation of 1.8 × 10−5 A cm−2 on Pt-MgO/C instead of 3.3 × 10−7 A cm−2 on Pt/C.