Low-Loaded Pt Nanoparticles Supported on Electrochemically Exfoliated Graphene as a Sustainable Catalyst for Electrochemical Ethanol Oxidation
, Aleksandar Maksić 1, Mirjana Novaković 1, Jelena Potočnik 1, Lazar Rakočević 1, Sanja Živković 2 and Milutin Smiljanić 3,*
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsPlease find my comments in the attached PDF file.
Comments for author File: 
Comments.pdf
Author Response
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Reviewer 2 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe article is devoted to the preparation and investigation of a composite consisting of Pt nanocatalysts applied on electrochemically exfoliated graphene oxide (Pt/el-rGO) with high ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) activity. This material is considered as an alternative to commercial carbon-supported Pt nanocatalysts (Pt/C), which are used for manufacturing direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFC). In addition, development of the new material is aimed at reducing Pt-loading, as well as eliminating known problems associated with the use of hydrocarbon fuels, such as Pt poisoning by CO intermediates and the instability of the Pt and carbon supports. The work studies the new material using TEM, XPS, and SEM techniques. The results confirm the effective synthesis and doping of Pt on exfoliated graphene oxide, highlighting the material's potential for electrocatalytic applications. The electrochemical characterization and EOR tests demonstrated that the Pt/el-rGO catalyst exhibits superior catalytic activity compared to the commercial Pt/C benchmark. However, the stability tests revealed that both Pt/el-rGO and Pt/C catalysts suffer from CO poisoning. On the other hand, the Pt/el-rGO composite showed only a slight decrease in EOR activity after extended potential cycling, suggesting good intrinsic durability and ability to recover CO-blocked active sites at cathodic potentials. Overall, the Pt/el-rGO catalyst is a promising candidate for fuel cell applications.
The presented methods for obtaining the composite material and its individual components, as well as the research methods, do not raise any doubts about the reliability of the results presented in the work.
The article can be published without further revision. However, before the final publication of the article it is recommended to correct the abbreviation for direct ethanol fuel. The text often contains the incorrect abbreviation DAFC instead of DEFC.
Author Response
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Reviewer 3 Report
Comments and Suggestions for AuthorsThe manuscript demonstrates a new approach for producing an excellent catalyst containing a low amount of Pt nanoparticles on electrochemically exfoliated reduced graphene oxide (further denoted Pt/el-rGO). There are some issues, and I recommend its publication after a minor revision. Specific comments are listed as follows:
(1) The Raman spectra of the samples should be tested to confirm the D and G bands of rGO.
(2) The XRD should be tested to confirm crystallographic structure of Pt.
(3) The common cathode catalyst is bimetallic catalyst (PtRu/C etc.) in the direct ethanol fuel cells. The performance Pt/el-rGO and PtRu/C should be compared.
(4) The Pt/el-rGO should use to fabricate to the direct ethanol fuel cells and the performace of the fuel cells should be tested.
Author Response
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