Microwave assisted synthesis of ruthenium electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in the presence and absence of aqueous methanol

In this work we present the synthesis of ruthenium based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction in 0.5 mol L−1 H2SO4, using microwave irradiation at different power, time and temperature conditions. Ru3(CO)12 and 1,2-dichlorobenzene were used as precursor and solvent respectively. The materials obtained were structurally characterized by FT-IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction; their chemical composition was determined by energy-dispersive spectroscopy analysis. The rotating disk electrode technique was used for the electrochemical characterization of the catalysts; the oxygen reduction reaction was performed in the presence and absence of aqueous methanol solutions. The electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen reduction reaction is similar to that of ruthenium catalysts synthesized using a conventional process reported in the literature.