ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Synthesis and characterization of a perylene derivative and its application as catalyst for ethanol electro-oxidation

Paulo José Sousa Maia, Elizomar Medeiros Barbosa, Maria Leticia Vega, Helder Nunes da Cunha, Elson Almeida de Souza, and Flávio Augusto de Freitas

Federal University of Amazonas, Itacoatiara, Brazil

E-mail: pmldcb@gmail.com

Abstract: Direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) are considered a viable alternative power source for both stationary and mobile applications. Obstacles to widespread use of DEFCs include the slow electro-oxidation kinetics of ethanol, which has been countered by employing combinations of noble metals and organic compounds as catalysts, e.g., a platinum alloy and perylene-3,4:9,10-tetracarboxylic acid derivatives (PDIs). This study investigates the performance of a PDI functionalized with 4-amino pyridine (PDI1) and subsequently dispersed in Pt/C (Pt/C/PDI1) and PtSn/C (PtSn/C/PDI1). The performance of these catalysts in ethanol electro-oxidation (EOR) was compared to that of metallic catalysts (PtSn/C and Pt/C). The forward potential scan indicated that the peak current densities (j) on the catalysts Pt/C/PDI1 and PtSn/C/PDI1 were ~ 1.7 and ~ 1.3-fold that of Pt/C and ~ 1.8 and ~ 1.4-fold that of PtSn/C. Concerning ethanol oxidation, this indicates that Pt/C/PDI1 and PtSn/C/PDI1 exhibit better catalytic activity in EOR than Pt/C and PtSn/C do.

Keywords: Renewable energy ; Perylene derivatives ; Electro-oxidation ; Direct ethanol fuel cells 

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-017-0344-z

Chemical Papers 72 (4) 1021–1030 (2018)