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in-situ ECFTIR Study of Ethanol Oxidation on Sn and Rh Modified Pt
Electrodes Ethanol electrooxidation was studied through x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and in-stiu electrochemical Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ECFTIR). Pt (111) crystals were deposited under potential with tin or rhodium. Rhodium was chosen for its ability to break C-C bonds and tin was chosen for its ability to provide oxygen surface species. These surfaces were characterized using XPS to confirm the presence of tin or rhodium and determine a ratio of how much was deposited on the surface. ECFTIR scans were produced for the Pt only surface in-situ over various molarities of ethanol, such that spectra were created for different potentials and different amounts of ethanol. By taking the scans in-situ, a fuel cell environment was simulated. This and further work will be used to create a fuel cell catalyst with that works the best at oxidizing ethanol for the anodic side of an ethanol based fuel cell. Support provided by: Ford Research Endowment |
