Pt nanoparticles supported on Sb-doped SnO2 porous structures: developments and issues

Abstract

In this work, high surface area antimony doped tin oxide (Sb–SnO₂) has been synthesized using a modified sol–gel synthesis method. The bulk and surface properties of the metal oxide support have been investigated as a function of the processing conditions. A change in the Sb–SnO₂ processing conditions, while preserving an overall invariant bulk composition, led to substantial modification of the surface stoichiometry. Accelerated stability test protocols have shown that the surface composition represents a crucial parameter for the electrochemical stability of Sb–SnO₂. Model Pt/Sb–SnO₂ electrodes have been developed depositing Pt nanoparticles by magnetron sputtering on the optimized Sb–SnO₂ porous surface. A significant enhancement in the corrosion stability upon 1000 potential cycles between 0.5 and 1.5 V (RHE) at 50 mV s⁻¹ has been observed for the Pt/Sb–SnO₂ system compared to Pt/carbon.