Efficient stabilization of in situ fabrication of Pt_xPd_1-x nanostructures for electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

Different binary Pt_xPd_1-x alloys supported on Vulcan carbon XC-72R were synthesized by the displacement of ligands from organometallic compounds to be used as anodic electrode for methanol electro-oxidation in alkaline medium. The influence of the Pd addition during the synthesis of Pt_xPd_1-x alloys in presence of octylamine as stabilizer was analyzed in terms of structure, chemical composition and electroactivity in the methanol oxidation reaction. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis showed that the surface of the electrodes consisted of a metallic mixture and oxide states, which confirmed the change in the electronic properties during the alloy formation. The current density of Pt₃₀Pd₇₀/C during CV measurements was about 2.1 times higher than the one observed with Pt/C electrodes. The CO tolerance was also slightly improved under similar conditions. The work findings indicate that stabilized Pt₃₀Pd₇₀/C binary alloys can be used to design highly active anodic catalysts with potential applications in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs).