Degradation of platinum electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation by lead contamination  

作　　者：Zihao Li Xianggui Zhou Subhash Singh Xiaoming Wei Chunlei Guo Weishan Li 

机构地区：[1]School of Physics and Optoelectronics,South China University of Technology,Guangzhou 510640,China [2]The Institute of Optics,University of Rochester,Rochester,New York 14627,United States [3]School of Chemistry,South China Normal University,Guangzhou 510006,China

出　　处：《Chinese Chemical Letters》2023年第2期610-612,共3页中国化学快报（英文版）

基　　金：financially supported by Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation (No. OPP1119542);South China Normal University for the financial support for his visit to University of Rochester。

摘　　要：Platinum exhibits high electrocatalytic activity toward various reactions but might be poisoned by some species. This communication reports a new finding that the electrocatalytic activity of platinum for methanol oxidation will be largely lost in a lead-contaminated environment. This activity loss is demonstrated in an electrochemical cell using a lead counter electrode for measuring the activity of platinum electrode towards methanol oxidation. The recorded methanol oxidation current in this cell is significantly decreased compared with that using a platinum counter electrode. The possible mechanism is related to the adsorption of trace lead ions from the lead counter electrode, as confirmed by comparing the calculated binding energies of platinum and lead ions with oxygen ion. This report is of great importance for reliably designing and efficiently managing direct methanol fuel cells, because trace lead might be present in various components in the fuel cell systems or in air and attention should be paid to its negative effect.

关 键 词：Activity degradation Platinum electrocatalyst Lead contamination Methanol oxidation Binding energy 

分 类 号：TM911.4[电气工程—电力电子与电力传动] O643.36[理学—物理化学]