Synthesis and characterization of the WxRuySez from the electrochemical reduction of oxygen and their possible application as electrode in fuel cell

In this communication the synthesis of the W0.03RuSe0.47O0.3 from the transition metal carbonyl compounds and the chalcogenide in m Xylene, the chemical characterization of the novel material was performed by neutron activation analysis (NAA), using the TRIGA Mark III Reactor from the Nuclear Center of Mexico. The oxygen present in the material was determined by Rutherford Backscattering Spectrometry (RBS). Also the RuSe5.7 y WSe2 were synthesized and characterized by NAA. The electro kinetic oxygen reduction behaviour of the W0.03RuSe0.47O0.3 deposited in glassy carbon was investigated in aqueous H2SO4 0.5M. The rotating disk electrode electrochemical technique was used for determining the kinetic parameters: The reaction was of first order which implied that the rate determining step is the transfer of one electron, the Tafel slope was 0.115 V/decade; the electron transfer coefficient found was of 0.5, and the activation energy in the oxygen reduction reaction was 0.47 eV. (Author)