ELECTROCATALYTIC OXIDATION OF METHANOL ON PLATINUM NANOPARTICLES ELECTRODEPOSITED ONTO POROUS CARBON SUBSTRATES

To achieve methanol fuel cell electrodes allowing a high catalyst use, thin layers of various carbon powders and recast Nafion(R) were elect rochemically plated with platinum. The resulting Pt deposits were char acterized by hydrogen and carbon monoxide electrosorption, as well as by transmission electron microscopy. Methanol oxidation was then carri ed out using cyclic voltammetry. The influence of the amount of carbon surface oxides and the effect of Pt specific surface area on the Pt c atalytic activity were thus investigated.