Study of the influence of the microstructure of Pt/C materials on the electrochemical characteristics of PtCo/C electrocatalysts based on them

Alina K. Nevelskaya; Sergey V. Belenov; Anna A. Gavrilova; Kirill O. Paperzh; Nikolay V. Lyanguzov; Ilya V. Pankov; Andrey А. Kokhanov

doi:10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/13329

Alina K. Nevelskaya Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation; Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC RAS), 41 pr. Chekhov, Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5799-9925
Sergey V. Belenov Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2980-7089
Anna A. Gavrilova Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0009-0006-7596-6821
Kirill O. Paperzh Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4878-9728
Nikolay V. Lyanguzov Southern Federal University, Faculty of Physics, 5 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9802-9335
Ilya V. Pankov Southern Federal University, Research Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry, 194/2 pr. Stachki, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5302-4792
Andrey А. Kokhanov Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation https://orcid.org/0009-0003-6546-0710

DOI: https://doi.org/10.17308/kcmf.2025.27/13329

Keywords: Platinum-based electrocatalysts, Bimetallic nanoparticles, High-temperature synthesis, Heat treatment, Oxygen electroreduction reaction

Abstract

Objectives: The paper studies the effect of the uniformity of spatial distribution of Pt nanoparticles over the support surface in Pt/C materials on the microstructure and electrochemical behavior of PtCo/C catalysts obtained on their basis. PtCo/C catalysts are synthesized by the impregnation of Pt/C followed by heat treatment in an Ar/H₂ atmosphere. The use of a Pt/C material with a platinum mass fraction of about 20% and a uniform distribution of Pt nanoparticles over the surface of the carbon support makes it possible to obtain a PtCo/C catalyst, the activity of which in the oxygen reduction reaction at 0.90 V is 1215 A/g (Pt), which is 4.8 times higher than a similar figure for a commercial Pt/C catalyst. In this case, the use of a Pt/C material with an ununiform distribution of nanoparticles leads to the production of a PtCo/C catalyst with
large particle size and low active surface area, which significantly worsens its activity in oxygen reduction reactions. The purpose of this article is to study the effect of the uniformity of the spatial distribution of Pt nanoparticles over the support surface in Pt/C materials on the microstructure and electrochemical behavior of the PtCo/C catalysts obtained from them.

Experimental: PtCo/C catalysts were synthesized by impregnation with Pt/C followed by heat treatment in an Ar/H₂ atmosphere.

Conclusions: The use of a Pt/C material with a platinum content of approximately 20% and a uniform distribution of Pt nanoparticles over the carbon support surface allows the production of a PtCo/C catalyst with an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of 1215 A/g (Pt) at 0.90 V, which is 4.8 times higher than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. The use of a Pt/C material with a non-uniform distribution of nanoparticles results in a PtCo/C catalyst with a large particle size and a low active surface area, which significantly reduces its ORR activity

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Author Biographies

Alina K. Nevelskaya, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation; Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC RAS), 41 pr. Chekhov, Rostov-on-Don 344006, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Researcher at the Department of Electrochemistry, Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation); Junior Researcher at the Federal Research Center Southern Scientific Center of the Russian Academy of Sciences (SSC RAS) (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation)

Sergey V. Belenov, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Leading Researcher at the Department of Electrochemistry, Faculty of Chemistry, Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation)

Anna A. Gavrilova, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

student, Research Intern, Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation)

Kirill O. Paperzh, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

Junior Researcher at the Department of Electrochemistry, Southern Federal University (Rostovon- Don, Russian Federation)

Nikolay V. Lyanguzov, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Physics, 5 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Associate Professor of the Nanotechnology Department, Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation)

Ilya V. Pankov, Southern Federal University, Research Institute of Physical and Organic Chemistry, 194/2 pr. Stachki, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

Cand. Sci. (Chem.), Lead Engineer of the Shared Use Center “High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy”

Andrey А. Kokhanov, Southern Federal University, Faculty of Chemistry, 7 ul. Sorge, Rostov-on-Don 344090, Russian Federation

student, Southern Federal University (Rostov-on-Don, Russian Federation)

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