Hostname: page-component-76fb5796d-5g6vh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-28T07:22:13.325Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Synthesis of platinum/multi-wall carbon nanotube catalysts

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 March 2011

Pan Mu ,
Tang Haolin ,
Mu Shichun  and
Yuan Runzhang
Pan Mu*
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China
Tang Haolin
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China
Mu Shichun
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China
Yuan Runzhang
Affiliation:
State Key Lab of Advanced Technology for Materials Synthesis and Processing, Wuhan University of Technology, Wuhan, 430070, People’s Republic of China
*
a)Address all correspondence to this author.e-mail: panmu@mail.whut.edu.cn
Get access

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to investigate the feasibility of the synthesis of platinum/multi-wall carbon nanotube (Pt/MWNT) catalysts and such catalysts' application in fuel cells. The as-received MWNTs were purified and decorated by pretreatment. Infrared-spectrum indicates the carboxylic (-COOH) and carbonyl (-C=O) groups were introduced on the surface of the MWNTs after pretreatment. These functional groups will act as anchor sites for the Pt deposition. Then the Pt particles in nano scale were deposited on the surface of MWNTs by reduction of a solution of hexachloroplatinic acid. Transmission electron microscopy examination reveals that Pt particles are attached to the surface of MWNTs. If as-received MWNTs are not pretreated in the proper way, the Pt particle aggregates are mostly found on the open end of MWNTs. Occasionally Pt penetrated inside the tube of MWNTs. The relationship between the Pt particle morphology and the conditions of pretreatment and reduction reaction is discussed. After heat treatment, Pt particles recrystallized to form the Pt/MWNT catalysts. The Pt/MWNT catalysts were applied to a single cell and the test result shows a promising future of these catalysts with low Pt loading when applied in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs).

Keywords

Chemical synthesisNanoparticleCatalytic
Type
Articles
Information
Journal of Materials Research , Volume 19 , Issue 8 , August 2004 , pp. 2279 - 2284
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1.You, L.X. and Liu, H.T. A parametric study of the cathode catalyst layer of PEM fuel cells using a pseudo-homogeneous model. Int. J. Hydrogen Energy 26, 991 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
2.Yu, H.M., Hou, Z.J., Yi, B.L., al., et Composite anode for CO tolerance proton exchange membrane fuel cells. J. Power Sources 105, 52 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
3.Qi, Z.G. and Kaufman, A.Low Pt loading high performance cathodes for PEM fuel cells. J. Power Sources 113, 37 (2003).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
4.Choi, K.H., Kim, H.S. and Lee, T.H.Electrode fabrication for proton exchange membrane fuel cells by pulse electrodeposition. J. Power Sources 75, 230 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
5.Wilson, M.S. and Gottesfeld, S.High performance catalyzed membranes of ultra-low platinum loadings for polymer electrolyte fuel cells. J. Appl. Electrochem. 22, 1 (1992).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
6.Breen, J., Burch, R. and Coleman, H.Metal-catalysed steam reforming of ethanol in the production of hydrogen for fuel-cell applications. Appl. Catal. Environ. 39, 65 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
7.Thompson, S.D., Jordan, L.R. and Forsyth, M.Platinum electrodeposition for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Electrochim. Acta 46, 1657 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
8.Chun, Y., Kim, C., Peck, D., al., etPerformance of a polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell with thin film catalyst electrodes. J. Power Sources 71, 174 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
9.O’Hayre, R., Lee, S., Cha, S., al., etA sharp peak in the performance of sputtered platinum fuel cells at ultra-low platinum loading. J. of Power Sources 109, 483 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
10.Qi, Z.G., Lefebvre, M. and Pickp, P.Electron and proton transport in gas diffusion electrodes containing electronically conductive proton-exchange polymers. J. Electroanal. Chem. 459, 9 (1998).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
11.Chen, G.R., Xu, C.L. and al., etDeposition of the platinum crystals on the carbon nanotubes. Chinese Science Bulletin. 45, 134 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
12.Dai, H., Wony, E.W. and Leiber, C.M.Probing electrical transport in nanomaterials: Conductivity of individual carbon nanotubes. Science 272, 523 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
13.Dai, H., Hafner, J.H., Rinzeler, A.G., Collbert, D.T. and Smallery, R.E.Nanotubes as nanoprobes in scanning probe microscopy. Nature 384, 147 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
14.Baum, R.M.Nurturing nanotubes. Chem. Eng. News 75, 39 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
15.Ye, Y., Ahn, C.C., Witham, C.K., Fultz, B., Liu, J., Rinzler, A., Colbert, D., Smith, K. and Smalley, R.Hydrogen adsorption and cohesive energy of single-walled carbon nanotubes. Appl. Phys. Lett. 277, 933 (1999).Google Scholar
16.Gadd, G.E., Blackford, M., Moricca, S., Webb, N., Evans, P.J., Smith, A.M., Jacobson, G., Leung, S., Day, A. and Hua, Q.The world’s smallest gas cylinders. Science 277, 933 (1997).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
17.Rajesh, B., Ravindranathan, K. and etal. Preparation of a Pt-Ru bimetallic system supported on carbon nanotubes. J. Mater. Chem. 10, 1757 (2000).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
18.Lordi, V., Yao, N. and Wei, J.Method for supporting platinum on single-walled carbon nanotubes for a selective hydrogenation catalyst. Chem. Mater. 13, 733 (2001).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
19.Satishkumart, B.C., Vogl, E.M., Govindaraj, A. and Rao, C.N.R.The decoration of carbon nanotubes by metal nanoparticles. J. Phys. D Appl. Phys. 176, 3173 (1996).CrossRefGoogle Scholar
20.Gamburzev, S. and Appleby, A.Recent progress in performance improvement of the proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC). J. Power Sources 107, 5 (2002).CrossRefGoogle Scholar