Neste trabalho investigou-se a oxidação de álcoois (etanol e glicerol) em meio alcalino empregando diferentes catalisadores de metais nobres suportados em carbono Vulcan preparados através da síntese de irradiação de micro-ondas, para aplicação em dispositivos de células a combustível. Neste âmbito, catalisadores suportados em carbono na razão metal:carbono de 40:60 % foram preparados com dois metais nobres: catalisadores a base de Pt(PtM/C, M=Sn, Ru e Ni); e catalisadores a base de Pd(PdM/C, M=Sn, Ru, Ni, Rh, Fe e Mn). Os resultados de EDX revelaram que todos os catalisadores apresentam composições experimentais próximas às nominais. Todos os catalisadores apresentaram características dos respectivos metais nobres; geometria cúbica de face-centrada. Catalisadores de Pd54Fe46/C, Pd71Ru29/C também apresentaram fases isoladas dos óxidos de rutênio e ferro,a fase de Pd2Sn também está presente nos catalisadores contendo Sn. Cristalitos e partículas na ordem de 2 a 7 nm foram observados. Dentre os diversos catalisadores estudados para a oxidação de etanol ([Etanol]=1,0 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1,0 mol L-1), o catalisador Pt45Sn55/C apresentou maior atividade, formando ácido acético e acetaldeído em quantidade superiores aos demais catalisadores. Já para catalisadores a base de Pd, Pd54Fe46/C e Pd63Sn37/C apresentaram resultados eletroquímicos muito semelhantes, porém, em relação aos produtos formados durante a eletrólise, o catalisador Pd54Fe46/C formou 3 vezes mais ácido acético(4 elétrons). Para a eletro-oxidação de glicerol em meio alcalino ([Glicerol]=0,5 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1,0 mol L-1), o catalisador Pt86Ru14/C foi o que apresentou os maiores valores de atividades catalíticas. Os principais produtos formados durante as eletrólises de glicerol foram ácido glicérico, ácido tartrônico, 1,3-dihidroxiacetona (DHA), a quantidade de produtos formados pelo catalisador Pt86Ru14/C foi, aproximadamente, três vezes superiorao catalisador Pt/C. A formação de um produto de maior valor agregado, 1,3-DHA, é interessante do ponto de vista eletrossíntético. A seguinte ordem de reatividade é observada para os catalisadores de Pd: PdRu/C >PdFe/C >PdMn/C >PdRh/C >PdSn/C. Dentre os produtos formados na oxidação de glicerol somente para os catalisadores PdRh/C e PdFe/Cidentificou-se ácido tartrônico (6 elétrons) e 1,3-DHA (2 elétrons) / In this thesis it was investigated ethanol and glycerol oxidation in alkaline medium using different noble metal catalysts supported on Vulcan carbon prepared by microwave irradiation synthesis, for application in fuel cell devices. In this context, catalysts in the ratio metal:carbon 40:60% were prepared using two noble metals: Pt-based catalysts (PtM/C, M = Sn, Ru and Ni); and Pd-based catalysts (PdM/C, M = Sn, Ru, Ni, Rh, Fe and Mn). The experimental compositions obtained by EDX were close to nominal values. All the catalysts exhibited cubic face-centered geometry characteristics of its respective noble metal. Catalysts Pd54Fe46/C and Pd71Ru29/C also presented of iron and ruthenium oxides phases, Pd2Sn phase is also observed for Pd61Sn39/C catalyst. Particles and crystallites around 2 to 7 nm were observed. Among all catalysts studied for ethanol electro-oxidation ([Ethanol]=1.0 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1.0 mol L-1), Pt45Sn55/C catalyst was the most active, the yield of acetic acid and acetaldehyde are higher for this composition. Pd-based catalysts, Pd54Fe46/C and Pd61Sn39/C showed very similar electrochemical behavior; however, for Pd54Fe46/C catalyst the amount of acetic acid (4 electrons) formed are three times higher. Pt86Ru14/C catalyst presented the highest catalytic activities for glycerol electro-oxidation ([glycerol]=0.5 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1.0 mol L-1). The main products formed during glycerol electrolysis were glyceric acid, tartronic acid, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the amount of products formed employing Pt86Ru14/C catalyst was almost three times higher than Pt/C catalyst. The formation of a product with higher added-value, 1,3-DHA, is interesting in electro-synthetic point of view. The reactivity order were observed for Pd catalysts are: PdRu/C > PdFe/C > PdMn/C > PdRh/C > PdSn/C. Tartronic acid (6 electrons) and 1,3-DHA (2 electrons) were only identified at PdRh/C and PdFe/C catalysts

Neste trabalho investigou-se a oxidação de álcoois (etanol e glicerol) em meio alcalino empregando diferentes catalisadores de metais nobres suportados em carbono Vulcan preparados através da síntese de irradiação de micro-ondas, para aplicação em dispositivos de células a combustível. Neste âmbito, catalisadores suportados em carbono na razão metal:carbono de 40:60 % foram preparados com dois metais nobres: catalisadores a base de Pt(PtM/C, M=Sn, Ru e Ni); e catalisadores a base de Pd(PdM/C, M=Sn, Ru, Ni, Rh, Fe e Mn). Os resultados de EDX revelaram que todos os catalisadores apresentam composições experimentais próximas às nominais. Todos os catalisadores apresentaram características dos respectivos metais nobres; geometria cúbica de face-centrada. Catalisadores de Pd54Fe46/C, Pd71Ru29/C também apresentaram fases isoladas dos óxidos de rutênio e ferro,a fase de Pd2Sn também está presente nos catalisadores contendo Sn. Cristalitos e partículas na ordem de 2 a 7 nm foram observados. Dentre os diversos catalisadores estudados para a oxidação de etanol ([Etanol]=1,0 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1,0 mol L-1), o catalisador Pt45Sn55/C apresentou maior atividade, formando ácido acético e acetaldeído em quantidade superiores aos demais catalisadores. Já para catalisadores a base de Pd, Pd54Fe46/C e Pd63Sn37/C apresentaram resultados eletroquímicos muito semelhantes, porém, em relação aos produtos formados durante a eletrólise, o catalisador Pd54Fe46/C formou 3 vezes mais ácido acético(4 elétrons). Para a eletro-oxidação de glicerol em meio alcalino ([Glicerol]=0,5 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1,0 mol L-1), o catalisador Pt86Ru14/C foi o que apresentou os maiores valores de atividades catalíticas. Os principais produtos formados durante as eletrólises de glicerol foram ácido glicérico, ácido tartrônico, 1,3-dihidroxiacetona (DHA), a quantidade de produtos formados pelo catalisador Pt86Ru14/C foi, aproximadamente, três vezes superiorao catalisador Pt/C. A formação de um produto de maior valor agregado, 1,3-DHA, é interessante do ponto de vista eletrossíntético. A seguinte ordem de reatividade é observada para os catalisadores de Pd: PdRu/C >PdFe/C >PdMn/C >PdRh/C >PdSn/C. Dentre os produtos formados na oxidação de glicerol somente para os catalisadores PdRh/C e PdFe/Cidentificou-se ácido tartrônico (6 elétrons) e 1,3-DHA (2 elétrons) / In this thesis it was investigated ethanol and glycerol oxidation in alkaline medium using different noble metal catalysts supported on Vulcan carbon prepared by microwave irradiation synthesis, for application in fuel cell devices. In this context, catalysts in the ratio metal:carbon 40:60% were prepared using two noble metals: Pt-based catalysts (PtM/C, M = Sn, Ru and Ni); and Pd-based catalysts (PdM/C, M = Sn, Ru, Ni, Rh, Fe and Mn). The experimental compositions obtained by EDX were close to nominal values. All the catalysts exhibited cubic face-centered geometry characteristics of its respective noble metal. Catalysts Pd54Fe46/C and Pd71Ru29/C also presented of iron and ruthenium oxides phases, Pd2Sn phase is also observed for Pd61Sn39/C catalyst. Particles and crystallites around 2 to 7 nm were observed. Among all catalysts studied for ethanol electro-oxidation ([Ethanol]=1.0 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1.0 mol L-1), Pt45Sn55/C catalyst was the most active, the yield of acetic acid and acetaldehyde are higher for this composition. Pd-based catalysts, Pd54Fe46/C and Pd61Sn39/C showed very similar electrochemical behavior; however, for Pd54Fe46/C catalyst the amount of acetic acid (4 electrons) formed are three times higher. Pt86Ru14/C catalyst presented the highest catalytic activities for glycerol electro-oxidation ([glycerol]=0.5 mol L-1 + [NaOH]=1.0 mol L-1). The main products formed during glycerol electrolysis were glyceric acid, tartronic acid, 1,3-dihydroxyacetone (DHA), the amount of products formed employing Pt86Ru14/C catalyst was almost three times higher than Pt/C catalyst. The formation of a product with higher added-value, 1,3-DHA, is interesting in electro-synthetic point of view. The reactivity order were observed for Pd catalysts are: PdRu/C > PdFe/C > PdMn/C > PdRh/C > PdSn/C. Tartronic acid (6 electrons) and 1,3-DHA (2 electrons) were only identified at PdRh/C and PdFe/C catalysts

>Magister Scientiae - MSc / This study explores the use of UV-assisted reduction method to synthesise the catalysts, aiming at reducing synthesis time. The Pd and Au catalyst loading is kept at 5 wt% in order to reduce the cost associated with high loading (20 wt%) of platinum group metals. The synthesised catalysts have SnO2 incorporated in them for two purposes, one being to activate the chemical reaction by absorbing UV-light and the second one is to serve as a promoter for binary and ternary catalysts. All the synthesised electrocatalysts in this study were denoted as Au/10wt%SnO2-C, Au/15wt%SnO2-C, Au/20wt%SnO2-C, Au/40wt%SnO2-C, Au/60wt%SnO2-C, Pd/10wt%SnO2-C, Pd/15wt%SnO2-C, Pd/20wt%SnO2-C, Pd/40wt%SnO2-C, Pd/60wt%SnO2-C and PdAu/10wt%SnO2-C respectively. The UV-assisted reduction method was proved to be effective with the obtained results from TEM, SEM, XRD and electrochemical studies. TEM micrographs revealed nanoparticles of Pd, Au and SnO2 which were proved by the measured d-spacing values corresponding to the element’s structures. The measured average particle size ranged from 3.05 to 14.97 nm for the electrocatalysts. The XRD profiles confirmed the face centred cubic of Pd, Au and tetragonal structures of SnO2. These electrocatalysts showed varied activity towards the oxidation of alcohols namely, methanol, ethanol, ethylene glycol and glycerol in alkaline electrolyte The cyclic voltammetry results showed improved performance towards the oxidation of glycerol on Au-based electrocatalysts, highest current density of 22.08 mA cm-2 than on Pd-based electrocatalysts. Pd-based electrocatalysts were more active towards the oxidation of ethanol than Au-based electrocatalysts with the highest current density of 19.96 mA cm-2. The co-reduced PdAu on 10wt%SnO2-C electrocatalysts showed the lowest current density of 6.88 mA cm-2 for ethanol oxidation when compared to Pd/10wt%SnO2-C and Au/10wt%SnO2-C. Linear sweep voltammograms showed more negative onset potentials on Pd-based electrocatalysts than Au-based electrocatalysts. The more negative onset potential obtained on Pd-based electrocatalysts was observed for ethanol oxidation. These results correspond to the trend observed in literature for ethanol oxidation being more favoured on Pd-based electrocatalysts whereas the polyalcohol oxidation is more favoured on Au-based electrocatalysts. The best performing and most stable electrocatalyst among the Au-based electrocatalysts is Au/10wt%SnO2-C and Pd/10wt%SnO2-C for the Pd-based electrocatalysts.