Facile Cu3P-C hybrid supported strategy to improve Pt nanoparticle electrocatalytic performance toward methanol, ethanol, glycol and formic acid electro-oxidation

In this study, with a uniform mixed Cu3P-C hybrid as a support, Pt/C-Cu3P composite catalysts with varied phosphide/carbon ratios are synthesized via a wet chemical reduction pathway. These catalysts have been characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Among the investigated catalysts, the Pt/C-Cu3P50% catalyst presents the best enhanced catalytic performance for electro-oxidation of targeted small organic fuel molecules. Compared to state-of-the-art commercial Pt/C, it exhibits 7.26, 4.19, 5.43 and 6.76 times electrocatalytic activity promotion for methanol, ethanol, glycol and formic acid electro-oxidation, respectively. This outstanding catalytic activity promotion should be ascribed to its ideal phosphide/carbon ratio as well as the induced beneficial synergistic effect between Cu3P and Pt, such as the so-called electronic effect and bi-functional effect. The exploration of inexpensive and earth-abundant Cu3P as a promoter in Pt-catalyzed small organic molecule electro-oxidation will definitely find a broad interest in PEMFCs fields.