Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

Heterogeneous Catalysis

Heterogeneous Catalysis

Heterogeneous catalysis involves a catalyst in a different phase from the reactants. It is a process where the catalyst and the reactants are in distinct phases, typically solid and gas or liquid.Most heterogeneous catalysts are metals, metal oxides, or acids. The list includes transition metals like iron (Fe), cobalt (Co), nickel (Ni), palladium (Pd), platinum (Pt), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), tungsten (W), silver (Ag), and copper (Cu). These metals possess partially vacant d orbitals that...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

Magnetic fields from microscopic sources: a new quantum-based discrete interaction approach.

Physical chemistry chemical physics : PCCP·2026

Same author

Structure, Interactions, and Assembly of Membrane-Active Antimicrobial Polypeptides.

Chemical reviews·2026

Same author

Ambient one-step synthesis and direct coating of highly crystalline covalent organic frameworks on arbitrary surfaces.

Science advances·2026

Same author

Gallium in liquid state shows nuclease-mimicking activity.

Nature communications·2026

Same author

Nanoscale structural evolution of gallium-copper, gallium-zinc, and gallium-bismuth alloys.

Journal of colloid and interface science·2026

Same author

A Dual-Model Machine Learning Framework for Interpretable Design and Ensemble Prediction of C-Amidated Antimicrobial Peptides.

ACS applied materials & interfaces·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 3, 2026

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Published on: June 21, 2017

Liquid Metal Electrocatalyst with Ultralow Pt Loading for Ethanol Oxidation.

Muhammad Hamza Nazir¹, Tu C Le², Imtisal Zahid¹

¹Department of Chemical and Environmental Engineering School of Engineering RMIT University Melbourne VIC 3001 Australia.

|April 11, 2025

Summary

Platinum-gallium nanodroplets show enhanced ethanol oxidation activity for fuel cells. This liquid metal catalyst, optimized with machine learning, offers a promising, high-performance alternative to traditional catalysts.

Keywords:

direct ethanol fuel cells electrolyte optimizations ethanol oxidations liquid metal catalysts machine learning

More Related Videos

Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance

Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance

Published on: April 27, 2018

On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method

On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method

Published on: March 16, 2018

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: May 3, 2026

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Simple Methods for the Preparation of Non-noble Metal Bulk-electrodes for Electrocatalytic Applications

Published on: June 21, 2017

Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance

Synthesis of Platinum-nickel Nanowires and Optimization for Oxygen Reduction Performance

Published on: April 27, 2018

On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method

On the Preparation and Testing of Fuel Cell Catalysts Using the Thin Film Rotating Disk Electrode Method

Published on: March 16, 2018

Area of Science:

Materials Science
Electrochemistry
Nanotechnology

Background:

Direct ethanol fuel cells require efficient and durable electrocatalysts for ethanol electro-oxidation.
Platinum-based catalysts are widely used but often suffer from low efficiency and high cost.

Purpose of the Study:

To develop a novel, highly active, and durable electrocatalyst for ethanol electro-oxidation using platinum-gallium liquid metal nanodroplets.
To optimize the catalyst performance through machine learning-guided electrolyte formulation and investigate the underlying catalytic mechanisms.

Main Methods:

Synthesis of platinum-gallium (Pt-Ga) liquid metal-based nanodroplets.
Electrochemical characterization of the Pt-Ga catalyst for ethanol oxidation.
Machine learning-guided formulation of a low-concentration alkaline electrolyte.
Computational studies (e.g., DFT) to elucidate the catalytic mechanism.

Main Results:

Pt-Ga nanodroplets exhibit significantly improved mass activity for ethanol oxidation compared to commercial Pt/C catalysts.
A machine learning-optimized electrolyte enabled ultralow Pt loading with a mass activity of 13.47 A mg^-1_Pt, over 14 times higher than commercial Pt/C.
Computational studies indicated that adjacent Ga oxides on the Pt surface create favorable oxidation pathways.

Conclusions:

Pt-Ga liquid metal nanodroplets represent a highly efficient electrocatalyst for ethanol oxidation.
The synergy between Pt and Ga oxides, coupled with optimized electrolyte conditions, unlocks superior catalytic performance.
This work highlights the potential of liquid metal catalysis for advancing direct ethanol fuel cell technology.