Electrocatalytic properties of conducting polymer based composite film containing dispersed platinum microparticles towards oxidation of methanol

We demonstrate the usefulness of poly-N-methylpyrrole as a matrix for the f abrication of a composite film containing spatially dispersed platinum and highly reactive Ru oxo centers in a form of polynuclear ruthenium(III, IV) oxide/cyanoruthenates. It comes from scanning electron micrography that sph erical Pt microparticles are randomly dispersed in the film. Cyclic voltamm etry has been employed to characterize electrocatalytic oxidation of methan ol at Pt-free and platinized composite films at ambient (20 degrees C) and increased (60 degrees C) temperatures. The presence of ruthenium(III, IV) o xide/cyanoruthenate species in the composite film increases the catalytic a ctivity of Pt towards methanol oxidation. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Ltd. Al l rights reserved.