Pt and Pd Supported on Carbon Microspheres for Alcohol Electrooxidation in Alkaline Media

Pt and Pd supported on carbon microspheres (CMS) are used as electrocatalysts for alcohol (methanol, ethanol and ethylene glycol) electrooxidation in alkaline media. The results show that Pt and Pd supported on carbon microspheres give better performance for all alcohols electrooxidation than that supported on carbon black. The activity order of alcohol oxidation on Pt/C and Pt/CMS is ethylene glycol (EG) > methanol > ethanol. The EG shows the highest activity and ethanol shows the lowest activity. However, the activity order of alcohol oxidation on Pd/C and Pd/CMS is ethanol > EG > methanol and the ethanol gives the best performance. The results show that Pt is a good electrocatalyst for EG oxidation and Pd is a good electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation. The increased magnitude order of alcohol oxidation on catalysts supported on carbon microspheres to catalysts supported on carbon black is ethanol > methanol > EG. The results show that carbon microspheres are good support for ethanol oxidation and not good support for EG oxidation.