Enhancing Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ethanol by PtAu Nanoalloy Supported on SnO2/GN in Acidic Medium

To improve the electrocatalytic activity of catalysts for ethanol oxidation, PtxAuy/SnO2GN with a double-junction structure of PtxAuy and SnO2 is designed and synthesized, in which the atom ratios of Pt and Au are 1:0, 1:1, 1:2, 1:3, 1:4, and 1:5. Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer–Emmet–Teller method, X-ray diffraction, transmission electron micrography, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy are used to characterize the prepared catalysts. It is found that Pt and Au form an alloy, and the alloy is uniformly distributed around SnO2 on graphene (GN). The catalytic properties of PtxAuy/SnO2GN for ethanol electrooxidation are studied by electrochemical tests such as cyclic voltammetry, linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and CO stripping. The results show that Pt1Au3/SnO2GN has the largest electrochemically activated surface area (ECSA), the lowest ethanol oxidation onset potential, the highest ethanol oxidation peak current density, and the best ethanol oxidation stability. Combined with electrochemical in situ infrared spectroscopy, the excellent catalytic performance of Pt1Au3/SnO2GN is attributed to its unique double-junction structure of PtAu alloy and SnO2 on GN enhancing the tolerance to CO-like toxic species, as well as the alloy of Pt and Au and their appropriate atomic ratio properly changing the electronic structure of Pt and increasing the ECSA, which are conducive to the easier electrooxidation of ethanol.