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Abstract
Au–Pd–Pt nanotrimetallic particles supported on nanocrystaline tungsten carbide as a cathodic electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were prepared by an intermittent microwave heating (IMH) method. XRD measurement revealed that Au–Pd–Pt alloy formed during the IMH process. These novel electrocatalysts could offer the activities which surpass that of the state-of-the-art Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction. The AuPdPt-WC/C electrocatalyst showed better performance for oxygen reduction in alkaline solution than that of Pt/C catalyst. The results revealed that an over 90 mV shift towards more positive potentials compared to Pt/C electrode for ORR. The methanol tolerance and selectivity of the AuPdPt-WC/C electrocatalyst are favourable for the ORR in the presence of methanol which makes it a promising cathodic electrocatalyst in direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). The ORR is hardly affected in the methanol-containing solutions up to 1·0 mol L−1 methanol. The advantage seemed to come from the novel support of tungsten carbide which itself has the catalytic activity to enhance the catalytic activity of the metal electrocatalysts.
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the support by Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (XDJK2013B018), Chongqing City Foundation for University Young Key Teachers, The project of National Natural Science Fund (31100500), National Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (201210635100), Undergraduate Training Programs for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (201223002), Technology Development Project (2013039) and Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (XDJK2011C055 and XDJK2014D001).