Platinum and platinum–ruthenium nanoparticles supported on ordered mesoporous carbon and their electrocatalytic performance for fuel cell reactions

Highly ordered meso-porous carbon, denoted CMK-3 was synthesized by using mesoporous silicates, SBA-15 as the starting templating materials. The ordered mesoporous carbon was loaded with platinum and platinum–ruthenium nanoparticles using alternative synthesis techniques. The metal loaded ordered mesoporous carbon powders were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX), X-ray diffraction, and nitrogen adsorption isotherm experiments. Micrometer-scale and centimeter-scale electrodes containing the mesocarbon/nanometal electrocatalysts were tested for some typical fuel cell reactions. While the nanometal/mesocarbon catalysts have well-defined and uniform properties in the nanometer scale, they have mixed electrocatalytic performance. A synthesized Pt/mesocarbon electrocatalyst outperformed a commercial electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction on a gas-diffusion electrode. The Pt–Ru/mesocarbon electrocatalyst synthesized, however, was not as effective for methanol oxidation.