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

摘要

Novel carbon supported iron-polypyrrole (30 wt%Fe-PPy-C) composite catalyst has been prepared by using a chemicalpolymerization method and investigated as electrocatalyst for the oxygenreduction reaction in 0.5 M H2SO4 at 25 °C. Structural and electrochemical characterizations of the catalysthave been carried out by IR, XRD, SEM, cyclic and linear sweep voltammetry,chronoamperometry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Electrochemicalstudies have been performed in Ar- and O2- saturated 0.5 M H2SO4with and without 1 M CH3OH at 25 °C. The study shows that the composite catalyst is oxygen reductionreaction active and stable, and does not oxidize methanol and hence can be usedas an efficient methanol tolerant cathode material in direct methanol fuelcells.