Nanostructured Platinum/Iron Phosphate Thin-Film Electrodes for Methanol Oxidation

Nanostructured Pt – Fe P O 4 thin-film electrodes consisting of Pt nanocrystals and amorphous Fe P O 4 were fabricated by cosputtering, and nanocomposites containing ∼ 3 or ∼ 5 nm Pt crystalline phases were obtained. Compared with the pure Pt electrodes, the Pt – Fe P O 4 electrodes containing ∼ 3 nm Pt nanophases showed a significantly high efficiency, stability, and low charge-transfer resistance for methanol oxidation. The improved catalytic activities of the Pt – Fe P O 4 thin-film electrodes can be attributed to both an increase in the active surface area, and the possible ability of Fe P O 4 for the effective transfer of protons and the CO oxidation during methanol oxidation.