Carbon nanotubes with Pt-Ru catalyst for methanol fuel cell

Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (NTs) have been used as an attractive support of catalytic metallic particles for methanol electrooxidation in acidic medium. Pt-Ru (50:50) nanoparticles were deposited on the different type of nanotubular materials to select the best support and to estimate the efficiency of CH3OH oxidation. Pt-Ru supported on NTs graphitized at 2500 degrees C supply the optimal voltage/current characteristics with a maximum current load of 2.7 A/g. Mesoporous network of nanotubes combined with their excellent conducting properties allows a quick transport and easy accessibility of the reagent molecules to the catalytic sites of electrode interface giving a good performance of methanol anode. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.