Preparation and characterization of iron-polypyrrole-carbon composite for use as methanol tolerant cathode material in direct methanol fuel cells

Abstract

Novel carbon supported iron-polypyrrole (30 wt% Fe-PPy-C) composite catalyst has been prepared by using a chemical polymerization method and investigated as electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction in 0.5 <i>M</i> H₂SO₄ at 25 °C. Structural and electrochemical characterizations of the catalyst have been carried out by IR, XRD, SEM, cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry, chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electrochemical studies have been performed in Ar- and O₂- saturated 0.5 <i>M</i> H₂SO₄ with and without 1 <i>M</i> CH₃OH at 25 <span style="font-family:Symbol;mso-ascii-font-family:" times="" new="" roman";mso-hansi-font-family:="" "times="" roman";mso-char-type:symbol;mso-symbol-font-family:symbol"="" lang="EN-GB">°C. The study shows that the composite catalyst is oxygen reduction reaction active and stable, and does not oxidize methanol and hence can be used as an efficient methanol tolerant cathode material in direct methanol fuel cells.

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