Sol–Gel Synthesis of Ruthenium Oxide Nanowires To Enhance Methanol Oxidation in Supported Platinum Nanoparticle Catalysts

A template-directed, sol–gel synthesis is utilized to produce crystalline RuO2 nanowires. Crystalline nanowires with a diameter of 128 ± 15 nm were synthesized after treating the nanowires at 600 °C in air. Analysis of these nanowires by X-ray powder diffraction revealed the major crystalline phase to be tetragonal RuO2 with a small quantity of metallic ruthenium present. Further analysis of the nanowire structures by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy reveals that they are polycrystalline and are composed of interconnected, highly crystalline, nanoparticles having an average size of ∼25 nm. Uniform 3 nm Pt nanoparticles were dispersed on the surface of RuO2 nanowires using an ambient, solution-based technique yielding a hybrid catalyst for methanol oxidation. Linear sweep voltammograms (LSVs) and chronoamperometry performed in the presence of methanol in an acidic electrolyte revealed a significant enhancement in the onset potential, mass activity, and long-term stability compared with anal...