Fluorescence-based high throughput screening for noble metal-free and platinum-poor anode catalysts for the direct methanol fuel cell.

We describe here the results of a high throughput screening study for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) anode catalysts consisting of new elemental combinations with an optical high-throughput screening method, which allows the quantitative evaluation of the electrochemical activity of catalysts. The method is based on the fluorescence of protonated quinine generated during electrooxidation of methanol. The high-throughput screening included noble-metal free binary and ternary mixed oxides of the elements Al, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ni, Ta, Ti, Zn, and Zr in the oxidized form as well as after prior reduction in hydrogen. In addition 318 ternary and quaternary Pt-containing materials composed out of the mixed oxides of Bi, Ce, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Ga, Ge, In, La, Mn, Mo, Nb, Nd, Ni, Pr, Sb, Sn, Ta, Te, Ti, V, Zn, and Zr with a molar Pt-ratio of 10% and 30% were screened. Validation and long time experiments of the hits were performed by cyclovoltammetry (CV). The microstructural stability of the electrode preparations of the lead compositions was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern analysis.