PtRu nanoparticles deposited by the sulfite complex method on highly porous carbon xerogels: effect of the thermal treatment

13 páginas, 5 figuras, 4 tablas.Highly porous carbon xerogels (CXGs) were synthesized to be used as support for PtRu nanoparticles. Metal particles were deposited on CXGs by means of the sulfite complex method for the first time. Catalysts so-obtained were submitted to thermal treatment in H2, at different temperatures, in order to increase the particle size and thus the intrinsic activity. Physico-chemical characterizations included N2 physisorption, X-Ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Highly dispersed alloyed PtRu particles were obtained, with crystal sizes ranging from 1.6 to 2.0 nm. PtRu-catalysts were tested in half-cell for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). The resulting thermal treatment was effective in increasing both particle size and catalytic activity toward MOR.The authors wish to thank the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Secretaría de Estado de I+D+I) and FEDER for financial support under the project CTQ2011-28913-C02-01. Authors also thank the financial support of the bilateral CNR (Italy)—CSIC (Spain) joint agreement 2011–2012 (project Baglio/Lazaro 2010IT0026). CNR-ITAE authors acknowledge the financial support of PRIN 2010-11 project “Advanced nanocomposite membranes and innovative electrocatalysts for durable polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (NAMED-PEM)”.We acknowledge support by the CSIC Open Access Publication Initiative through its Unit of Information Resources for Research (URICI).Peer reviewe