Synthesis anc characterization of W0.12Ru2.1Se and W0.013Ru1.27Se electrocatalysts

Nanosized particles of cathodic electrocatalysts were chemically synthesize d by reacting transition metal carbonyl compounds and elemental selenium in m-xylene (bp 402 K) and o-dichlorobenzene (bp 443 K). The characterization s of the synthesized materials were performed by neutron activation analysi s (NAA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high resolution transmission e lectron microscopy (HRTEM), and infrared spectroscopy (IR). The resulting c hemical composition was W0.12Ru2.1Se and W0.013Ru1.27Se for the compounds s ynthesized in m-xylene and o-dichlorobenzene, respectively. X-ray diffracti on spectra (XRD) showed in both cases the formation of amorphous materials and SEM micrographs depict primary particles with almost the same granular morphology. TEM micrographs showed that the particles synthesized in m-xyle ne were amorphous, dispersed particles and in o-dichlorobenzene were amorph ous nanocluster materials of approximately 2 nm in size. The growth of the nanoclusters depends only on the synthesis temperature and nor on the natur e of the solvents. The synthesized electrocatalysts showed catalytic activi ty for the molecular oxygen reduction in 0.5 M H2SO4 and could be candidate s to be used as cathodes for fuel cells. (C)1999 Acta Metallurgica Inc.