The performance of carbon-supported PtOs electrocatalysts for the hydrogen oxidation in the presence of CO

The performance of carbon-supported platinum-osmium electrocatalysts (PtOs/C) on the electrocatalysis of the hydrogen oxidation reaction in the presence of CO was studied as a function of the composition and preparation conditions, for materials treated at different temperatures and atmospheres. Anodic polarization curves were obtained with different partial pressures of CO in the H2 flow. Results show a strong influence of the preparation method in the composition and particle size of the electrocatalysts. At low overpotentials the performance of PtOs/C prepared using formic acid as reducing agent and treated at 500°C under H2 is higher than that of the state-of-the-art PtRu/C electrocatalyst.