One-pot Synthesis of PtSn Bimetallic Composites and Their Application as Highly Active Catalysts for Ethanol Electrooxidation

PtSn nanoparticles with different molar ratio are fabricated by chemical reduction to form a relatively efficient catalyst for ethanol electrooxidation in an alkaline solution of KOH (1.0m) containing C2H5OH (1.0m). The surface composition and structure of the as-prepared catalysts are characterized by using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX). Cyclic voltammogram (CV) and chronoamperometric (CA) measurements are used to evaluate the electrochemical activity and stability of the as-prepared catalysts. As the content of Sn in the catalysts changed, the catalysts showed different catalytic activity. The results indicate that the moderate addition of Sn can enhance the catalytic activity of Pt catalyst, and Pt3Sn1 displays the highest catalytic activity and stability among the as-synthesized PtSn nanoparticles during the electrooxidation of ethanol.