Issue 31, 2020

Interfacial engineering of noble metals for electrocatalytic methanol and ethanol oxidation

Abstract

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) and direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) have drawn great attention as promising power sources for mobile and portable devices. However, the anodic reactions in DMFCs and DEFCs, namely the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), suffer from notoriously sluggish kinetics which seriously limited their large-scale applications. In this review, we will present a brief review on the interfacial engineering of noble metals for the MOR and EOR. This review starts by introducing the fundamental electrochemistry of the MOR and EOR and the performance evaluation of MOR and EOR electrocatalysts. We then move to summarize recent advances in the design and synthesis of MOR and EOR electrocatalysts in acidic and alkaline electrolytes, in which we emphasize the importance of rational engineering of the interface in noble metals (such as Pt, Pd and Rh) for enhanced activity and improved stability toward the MOR and EOR. Finally, challenges and prospects will be concluded for designing better MOR and EOR electrocatalysts.

Graphical abstract: Interfacial engineering of noble metals for electrocatalytic methanol and ethanol oxidation

Article information

Article type
Review Article
Submitted
20 Mar 2020
Accepted
29 May 2020
First published
02 Jun 2020

J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020,8, 15445-15457

Interfacial engineering of noble metals for electrocatalytic methanol and ethanol oxidation

F. Lyu, M. Cao, A. Mahsud and Q. Zhang, J. Mater. Chem. A, 2020, 8, 15445 DOI: 10.1039/D0TA03199B

To request permission to reproduce material from this article, please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

If you are an author contributing to an RSC publication, you do not need to request permission provided correct acknowledgement is given.

If you are the author of this article, you do not need to request permission to reproduce figures and diagrams provided correct acknowledgement is given. If you want to reproduce the whole article in a third-party publication (excluding your thesis/dissertation for which permission is not required) please go to the Copyright Clearance Center request page.

Read more about how to correctly acknowledge RSC content.

Social activity

Spotlight

Advertisements