Nanotechnology

Electrode

Organic chemistry

Polyurethane

Polyol

Anode

Nuclear chemistry

Engineering

Conductivity

Catalysis

Physical chemistry

Nanoparticle

Composite material

Inorganic chemistry

Chemistry

Metallurgy

Materials science

Methanol

Oxide

Tin oxide

Chemical engineering

Electrochemistry

Catalysts

In this study, antimony-doped tin oxide (ATO) support materials for a Pt anode catalyst in direct methanol fuel cells were prepared and electrochemically evaluated. When the heating temperature was increased from 300 to 400 °C, the ATO samples exhibited a slightly decreased specific surface area and increased electrical conductivity. In particular, the ATO sample heated at 350 °C in an air atmosphere showed improved electrical conductivity (1.3 S cm−1) with an optimum specific surface area of ~34 m2 g−1. The supported Pt catalysts were synthesized using a polyol process with as-prepared and heated ATO samples and Vulcan XC-72R as supports (denoted as Pt/ATO, Pt/ATO-350, and Pt/C, respectively). In the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), compared to Pt/C and Pt/ATO, Pt/ATO-350 exhibited the best electrocatalytic activity and stability for MOR, which could be attributed to Pt nanoparticles on the relatively stable oxide support with high electrical conductivity and interaction between the Pt catalyst and the heated ATO support.

Effect of Sb-Doped SnO2 Nanostructures on Electrocatalytic Performance of a Pt Catalyst for Methanol Oxidation Reaction