We are pleased to announce the next meeting of the Chicago Section of the ECS.
It will consist of a technical talk as well as an update about the state of the Society.
Size-Selected Synthesis of PtRu Nano-Catalysts:
Reaction and Size Control Mechanism presented by: Dr. Barry MacDougall Vice president of the Electrochemical Society National Research Council Canada, Montreal Road, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, K1A 0R6. Thursday, April 27, 2006
Time:
Social at 6:00 pm, Dinner at 7:00pm, Presentation at 8:00 pm
Cost:
For the dinner and talk is $15.00 for members and nonmembers, and $7.00 for students, post-docs and unemployed members. Dinner is All-You-Can-Eat Family style with selected menu. No reservations are needed for the talk only, but if you call ahead, we can be assured seating.
Reservation:
Please make reservations by Tuesday, April 18, with Keryn Lian at keryn.k.lian@motorola.com, or Chris Berney at Christopher.Berney@ametek-online.com or Petr Vanysek at t40pvy1@corn.cso.niu.edu.
Direction:
The restaurant is located on Blackhawk Drive, one block north of Ogden Avenue, 3/4 miles west of 83rd Route or two stoplights east of Cass Avenue. Click here for a map.
Abstract:
A rapid synthesis method for the preparation of PtRu colloids and their subsequent deposition on high surface area carbons is presented. The reaction mechanism is shown to involve the oxidation of the solvent, namely ethylene glycol to mainly glycolic acid or, depending on the pH, its anion, glycolate, while the Pt(+IV) and Ru(+III) precursor salts are reduced. Glycolate acts as stabilizer for the PtRu colloids and the glycolate concentration, and hence the size of the resulting noble metal colloids, is controlled via the pH of the synthesis solution. Carbon supported PtRu catalysts of controlled size can be prepared within the range of 0.7 to 4 nm. Slow scan X-ray diffraction and high resolution transmission electron microscopy show the PtRu catalysts to be crystalline. The Ru is partly dissolved in the face centered cubic Pt lattice but, the catalysts also consist of a separate, hexagonal Ru phase. The PtRu catalysts appear to be of the same composition independent of the catalyst size in the range of 1.2 and 4 nm.
Particular PtRu catalysts prepared in this work display enhanced activities for the methanol electro-oxidation reaction when compared with two commercial catalysts.
Biography:
Dr. Barry MacDougall earned his B.Sc. in 1967 at St. Francis Xavier University and his Ph.D. in organic electrochemistry related to fuel cells in 1972 from the University of Ottawa. In his work at NRC since 1972, Dr. MacDougall initially studied the electrochemical formation, growth, structure and breakdown of anodic (passive) oxide films on metals and alloys. He has also worked in the area of organic corrosion inhibitors and has developed electrochemical methods to form dielectric films on silicon, which have potential application in the semiconductor industry. More recently, Dr. MacDougall has conducted and directed research on the electrochemical destruction of organic toxins e.g., the complete cathodic dechlorination of PCBs with 100% current efficiency and the anodic removal of phenolic substances to well below the 1 ppm level. Recently, he has been directing a major project on methanol fuel cell technology involving government, university and industrial partners. The project involves the development of new anode catalysts for the continuous oxidation of methanol at low potentials, with a view to low temperature, portable power applications. He has published over 100 scientific papers, three book chapters and has four patents [approved or pending] for recent industrial innovations. Dr.
MacDougall's contributions to electrochemical science have been recognized worldwide. He was awarded the 1976 Young Author's Award of the Electrochemical Society (ECS), the 1979 W. Lash Miller Award "in recognition of outstanding technical contributions in the field of electrochemistry" and the 1995 ECS Carl Wagner Award "in recognition of outstanding mid-career contributions to multiple areas of electrochemical science and technology".
In 1988 he was elected a Fellow of the Chemical Institute of Canada and in 1996 a Fellow of NACE International. Dr. MacDougall has served as a member of the Executive, and Chairperson, of both the Canadian Section and Corrosion Division of ECS. He was an Editor for the Corrosion Section of the ECS Journal from 1984 to 1992, and was the Chairman of the Fellows Selection Committee of the ECS from 1996 to 2000, and is presently Chairman of the overall Honors and Awards Committee of ECS. He was selected to be the "Master of Ceremonies" for the Societies 100th.
Anniversary Meeting Banquet held in May, 2002. He is also a full voting member of the "American National Inventors Hall of Fame". He was elected Vice President of ECS in 2004.
