Development of Sn@Pt Core-Shell Nanostructures Supported on Vulcan and N-Doped Graphene as Nanocatalysts for the Ethylene Glycol Oxidation Reaction

Abstract

In this work, core-shell nanocatalysts based on Sn and Pt supported on Vulcan (Sn@Pt/C) and N-doped graphene (Sn@Pt/NG) have been synthesized by the polyol method. The core-shell nanocatalysts have been tested as anode materials for the ethylene glycol oxidation reaction (EGOR) and compared with monometallic Pt/C and Pt/NG in acid medium. Electrochemical characterization by cyclic voltammetry (CV) shows that Sn@Pt/C has a higher catalytic activity than Sn@Pt/NG, Pt/C and Pt/NG for the EGOR. For example, Sn@Pt/C generates a mass and specific current density 1.3 and 3.4 times higher than Pt/C. Sn@Pt/NG also shows higher mass and specific activity than Pt/C at low overpotentials. Moreover, Sn@Pt/C and Sn@Pt/NG oxidize COads at more negative potential than the monometallic nanocatalysts. Meanwhile, the NG support shows a positive metal-support effect, since Pt/NG is more tolerant to COads than Pt/C.