In this study the AuCu/GR catalysts with different Au:Cu molar ratios were prepared by microwave heating of Au(III) and Cu(II) salts in ethylene glycol (EG) solutions at 150 • C for 30 min. It has been determined that the composition of AuCu/GR depends on pH of the reaction mixture. When the reaction mixture pH was 7.0, 10.1 and 12.2, the AuCu/GR catalysts with the Au:Cu molar ratios equal to 37:1, 1:13 and 1:32, respectively, were synthesized. The structure and composition of the prepared catalysts were examined by XRD and ICP-OES. The shape and size of catalyst particles were determined by TEM. It has been found that the graphene supported AuCu catalysts with the Au:Cu molar ratios equal to 1:13 and 1:32 show an enhanced electrocatalytic activity toward the oxidation of BH 4 − ions compared with those of the bare Au/GR and Cu/GR catalysts.

In this study the graphene supported Au-Cu catalysts (denoted as AuCu/GR) with different Au:Cu molar ratio were prepared by microwave heating of Au(III) and Cu(II) salts in ethylene glycol (EG) solutions at 150 oC for 30 min. It has been determined that the composition of AuCu/GR catalysts depends on pH of reaction mixture. When the reaction mixture pH was 7.0, 10.1 and 12.2, the AuCu/GR catalysts having the Au:Cu molar ratios equal to 37:1, 1:13 and 1:32, respectively, were synthesized. The structure and composition of the prepared catalysts were examined by X-ray diffraction and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectroscopy. A shape and size of catalyst particles were determined by transmission electron microscopy. It has been found that the graphene supported AuCu catalysts having the Au:Cu molar ratios equal to 1:13 and 1:32 show an enhanced electrocatalytic activity towards the oxidation of BH4 – ions comparing with the graphene supported bare Au catalyst and graphene supported Cu catalyst.