Preparation of PtSnO2/C electrocatalysts using electron beam irradiation

PtSnO2/C electrocatalysts with Pt:Sn atomic ratios of 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 were prepared in water/2-propanol using electron beam irradiation. The materials were characterized by energy-dispersive X-ray analysis, X-ray diffraction, Mössbauer spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied by chronoamperometry at room temperature and on direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at 100 °C. The X-ray diffraction and Mössbauer measurements of the PtSnO2/C electrocatalysts showed typical face-centered cubic (fcc) structure of platinum and the presence of a SnO2 phase (cassiterite). The PtSnO2/C electrocatalysts were active for ethanol electro-oxidation and the material with Pt:Sn atomic ratio of 50:50 showed the best performance.