ELETRO-OXIDAÇÕES DE ÁLCOOIS E BOROIDRETO EM MEIO ALCALINO, SOBRE CATALISADORES Pd/C E PdxNiy/C, PREPARADOS PELO MÉTODO DE REDUÇÃO POR BOROIDRETO DE SÓDIO

Abstract

Some substances sound considered promising as a fuel to power electrochemical energy converters. These substances sound oxidized at the anode, while pure or oxygen from air is reduced at the cathode in galvanic cells without production of unhealthy pollutants, generating current cleanly and efficiently. The electrocatalysis of methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol, glycerol, sodium borohydride and formaldehyde are topics of great interest, justified by the demand for new systems more efficient converters and cleaner energy. In this work Pd, Pd₇₅Ni₂₅, Pd₆₆Ni₃₄ and Pd₅₀Ni₅₀ nanoparticles supported on carbon Vulcan XC - 72 were prepared by the method of reduction by sodium borohydride in alkaline medium. The catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The results showed that nanoparticles of Pd and PdxNiy, which were uniformly dispersed on carbon, had a diameter of 2-7 nm. Studies of cyclic voltammetry (CV ) and Linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) oxidation of methanol , ethanol , ethylene glycol, glycerol and sodium borohydride showed that the addition of Ni in the catalyst nanoparticles changes the mechanism of the reactions of Pd / C and the electrocatalytic activity increases in the order Pd₇₅Ni₂₅ / C < Pd₆₆Ni₃₄ / C < Pd₅₀Ni₅₀ / C in alkaline medium . So electrocatalysts produced with Ni nanoparticles become promising candidates for the direct alcohol cells (DAFCs) cells and direct borohydride (DBFCs) fuel fuel.