Page 84 - Book of Abstracts

th
8 Biannual Conference on Chemistry - CHEM 08

New Synthetic Methodology for Poisoning Mitigation at Pt-

Based Nanocatalysts in Direct Formic Acid Fuel Cells

Yaser M. Asal, Islam M. Al-Akraa*, Sayed S. Abd El Rehim, Ahmad M.
Mohammad*
Department of Chemical Engineering, Faculty of Engineering, The
British University in Egypt, Cairo 11837, Egypt 2 Chemistry
Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University, Cairo, Egypt 3
Chemistry Department, Faculty of Science, Cairo University, Cairo
12613, Egypt
Email: yasser.mohamed@bue.edu.eg

ABSTRACT
A new synthetic methodology replacing the typical sequential “layer-by-
layer immobilization and employing instead a “simultaneous co-
electrodeposition” protocol has been proven eminent for assembling efficient
nanoelectrocatalysts for formic acid (FA) electro-oxidation (FAO). This
strategy has been proven successful to integrate homogeneously Pt
nanoparticles (nano-Pt; the essential component for FA adsorption/oxidation)
with metal/metal oxide in a single blend surpassing the ideal catalytic activity
of Pt substrates and realizing a minute negligible CO poisoning level. The
molar ratio of the catalyst’s ingredients in the deposition bath is critical in
identifying the catalyst's activity. Several techniques including cyclic
voltammetry, chronoamperometry, electrochemical impedance
spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, energy
dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction are all combined to
report the catalyst’s activity evaluating its morphology, composition, and
structure. It is believed that adjusting the catalyst’s composition can
preferably act against the adsorption of poisoning CO intermediate and/or
support electronically the desired (low overpotential) direct
dehydrogenation pathway of FAO.

BOOK OF ABSTRACTS CHEM 08 (2020) Page 83