Electro-oxidation of dimethyl ether on Pt/C and PtMe/C catalysts in sulfuric acid

• DOI: 10.1016/j.electacta.2006.04.037
• Publication Date: 2006-06-13T14:20:58Z
• Authors: Yan Liu; Shigenori Mitsushima; Ken-ichiro Ota; Nobuyuki Kamiya
• Keywords: Dimethyl ether

Abstract The electro-oxidation of dimethyl ether (DME) on PtMe/Cs (Me = Ru, Sn, Mo, Cr, Ni, Co, and W) and Pt/C electro-catalysts were investigated in an aqueous half-cell, and compared to the methanol oxidation. The addition of a second metal enhanced the tolerance of Pt to the poisonous species during the DME oxidation reaction (DOR). The PtRu/C electro-catalyst showed the best electro-catalytic activity and the highest tolerance to the poisonous species in the low over-potential range ( ca. 0.55 V, 50 °C), the Pt/C behaved better than PtRu/C. The apparent activation energy for the DOR decreased in the order: PtRu/C (57 kJ mol −1 ) > Pt 3 Sn/C (48 kJ mol −1 ) ≈ Pt/C (46 kJ mol −1 ). On the other hand, the activation energy for the MOR showed a different turn, decreased in the following order: Pt/C (43 kJ mol −1 ) > Pt 3 Sn/C (35 kJ mol −1 ) ≈ PtRu/C (34 kJ mol −1 ). The temperature dependence of the DOR was greater than that of the oxidation of methanol (MOR) on the PtRu/C.