There are a lot of papers in the literature discussing the effect of catalysts on DEFCs but they are not satisfying because the mechanism of the optimum morphology of catalysts are not clear.
If you are using Pt based catalysts then you may concentrate on a bimetallic catalyst with a less noble core metal enriched with minimal amount of surface Pt (since Pt is scarce and expensive ). I hope this kind of strategy would result in better ethanol oxidation capability.
DEFCs? good luck guy.
Currently, in my experiments on ethanol electrooxidation, Pt3Sn shows the better performance for such reaction, however get this structure is not trivial (20 nm particle size average). Pt-based catalysts are, nowadays, the best for it, alloyed (or pseudo alloyed) with Sn, Ru... lower than 5 nm, but their performance are still low (I mean, lower current than for MOR, for instance) due to mechanism, reactive intermediates (detected and supposed), poisons...
If literature does not satisfying, read a litlle more for keeping your own conclusions. Has a lot literature about EOR. Usually shows a synergyc effect between metals and its neccesary to reach a compromise in select the better ones to get maximun performance for ethanol electrooxidation.
If you have a more specific question, may I can help with some literature. Since mechanism, in sumary seems, C-C bond breaking, -CH2-OH residue oxidation, and finally, -CH3???... whats going on? Keep in mind, processes in gas phase not completely happens in EOR at room temperature.
Regards
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