Pt-Mo/C, Pt-Fe/C and Pt-Mo-Sn/C Nanocatalysts Derived from Cluster Compounds for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cells

Nanosized bimetallic PtMo, PtFe and trimetallic PtMoSn catalysts deposited on highly dispersed carbon black Vulcan XC-72 were synthesized from the cluster complex compounds PtCl(P(C6H5)3)(C3H2N2(CH3)2)Mo(C5H4CH3)(CO)3, Pt(P(C6H5)3)(C3N2H2(CH3)2)Fe(CO)3(COC6H5C2C6H5), and PtCl(P(C6H5)3)(C3N2H2(CH3)2)C5H4CH3Mo(CO)3SnCl2, respectively. Structural characteristics of these catalysts were studied using X-ray diffraction (XRD), microprobe energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDX), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The synthesized catalysts were tested in aqueous 0.5 M H2SO4 in a three-electrode electrochemical cells and in single fuel cells. Electrocatalytic activity of PtMo/C and PtFe/C in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the activity of PtMoSn/C in electrochemical oxidation of ethanol were evaluated. It was shown that specific characteristics of the synthesized catalysts are 1.5–2 times higher than those of a commercial Pt(20%)/C catalyst. The results of experiments indicate that PtFe/C, PtMo/C, and PtMoSn/C catalysts prepared from the corresponding complex precursors can be regarded as promising candidates for application in fuel cells due to their high specific activity.