EN
A concept of utilization of titanium dioxide matrix in electrocatalysis (ethanol oxidation in acid medium for potential application in a low temperature fuel cell cell) by admixing it with polyoxometallate (phosphomolybdate) stabilized gold nanoparticles is described here. By dispersing platinum black over the Au-containing TiO2, the electrocatalytic activity of Pt nanoparticles towards oxidation of ethanol has been significantly enhanced. Remarkable increases of electrocatalytic currents measured under diagnostic voltammetric and chronoamperometric conditions are reported here. The most likely explanation takes into account improvement of overall conductivity (due to the presence of nanostructured gold) at the electrocatalytic interface (utilizing TiO2 support), as well as and possibility of specific Pt-TiO2 or Pt-Au electronic interactions and existence of active hydroxyl groups (on titanium dioxide or polyoxometallate surfaces) in the vicinity of catalytic Pt sites.