Electrooxidation of Dimethyl Ether on Pt/TiO2–C Сatalysts

A series of Pt/TiO2–C catalysts containing platinum particles preferentially in the cubic form with the size of 6.7 nm uniformly distributed over the hybrid TiO2–C supports containing hydrated titania in the form of anatase are synthesized by the method of electrochemical oxidation and dispersion of metals. The thus obtained catalysts and also the commercial Pt/C catalyst E-TEK are used for studying the electrooxidation of dimethyl ether by the methods of CV, chronoamperometry, and RDE. The platinum-containing catalysts on hybrid TiO2–C supports exhibit the activity exceeding the activity of commercial catalysts by more than one order of magnitude. The prospects of using these catalysts for enhancing the efficiency of fuel cells with direct oxidation of dimethyl ether are demonstrated.