Optimized CeO2 content of the carbon nanofiber support of PtRu catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

A series of CeO2 embedded carbon nanofibers, CECNFs, with different CeO2 contents was prepared by an electrospinning technique. About 15 wt% PtRu nanoparticles were deposited on the fibers, and the effect of the CeO2 content on the methanol oxidation activity of the catalyst, PtRu/CECNF, was investigated. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CA) and CO stripping electrochemical measurements and physical characterization along with X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) analysis, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were carried out on the prepared catalysts. The mass activity of the PtRu was significantly increased by the CeO2 addition up to Ce/C = 0.4, and the maximized activity was 2 times higher than that without CeO2. The increased activity was attributed to the strong interaction between the metal and oxide in the embedded nanofiber structure. A DMFC with the PtRu/CECNF exhibited more than 2.5 times high power density with one half the PtRu loading compared to that of the commercial catalyst, PtRu/Ccom.