PtRu/C electrocatalysts were prepared by hydrothermal carbonization process using starch as carbon sources and reducing agents and platinum and ruthenium salts as catalysts of carbonization process and metals source. pH of the reaction medium was adjusted using KOH or TPAOH (tetrapropylammonium hydroxide). The obtained PtRu/C electrocatalysts were characterized by SEM/EDX, TGA, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electro-oxidation of methanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The PtRu/C electrocatalyst prepared using TPAOH was more active for methanol electro-oxidation than the material prepared with KOH.

Os eletrocatalisadores PtRh/C, PtSn/C e PtSnRh/C foram preparados pelo método da redução por álcool e caracterizados pelas técnicas de EDX, difração de raios X e voltametria cíclica. A eletro-oxidação direta de etanol foi estudada por voltametria cíclica utilizando a técnica do eletrodo de camada fina porosa. Na região de interesse para aplicações em células a combustível a etanol direto (0,3 a 0,4 V) os eletrocatalisadores PtSn/C e PtSnRh/C se mostraram mais ativos que os eletrocatalisadores PtRh/C.

PtRh/C, PtSn/C and PtSnRh/C electrocatalysts were prepared by the alcohol-reduction process and characterized by EDX, XRD and cyclic voltammetry. The electro-oxidation of ethanol was studied by cyclic voltammetry using the thin porous coating technique. In the region of interest for direct ethanol fuel cell (0.3-0.4V) PtSn/C and PtSnRh/C eletrocatalysts were more active than PtRh/C electrocatalysts.