Highly dispersed Pt catalysts on single-walled carbon nanotubes and their role in methanol oxidation

Well-dispersed Pt catalysts with very high utilization efficiencies for fuel cell reactions have been prepared by ethylene glycol reduction on polymer-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). By wrapping the SWCNTs in a polymer such as polystyrene sulfonate, we are able to break up the nanotube bundles to achieve better dispersion. These polymer-wrapped SWCNTs with platinum nanoparticles deposited on them show very high electrochemically active surface areas. The increase in utilization efficiencies for platinum catalysts on these SWCNT supports can be attributed to the increased surface areas and the well-dispersed nature of the carbon support and catalyst. The catalyst dispersion facilitates diffusion of reactant species which in turn results in higher methanol oxidation currents and more positive potentials for oxygen reduction.     

Electroreduction of Oxygen and Electrooxidation of Methanol at Carbon and Single Wall Carbon Nanotube Supported Platinum Electrodes

The present research aimed at investigating the electrocatalytic properties and the electrochemical deposition of Pt nanoparticles on carbon powder, carbon nanotube and preparation of carbon and single wall carbon nanotube supported platinum electrodes. The Pt nanoparticles were synthesized by electroreduction of hexachloroplatinic acid in aqueous solution at ?200 mV. Electrocatalytic properties of the modified electrodes for oxygen reduction were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in O₂ saturated solution containing 0.1 M HClO₄. Methanol electrooxidation at the modified surfaces in 0.5 M HCLO₄ was studied by cyclic voltammetry. The corresponding results showed that the Pt/SWCNT/GC electrode exhibits more improved catalytical activity than the Pt/C/GC electrode.     

Single-wall carbon nanotube-based proton exchange membrane assembly for hydrogen fuel cells

A membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for hydrogen fuel cells has been fabricated using single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) support and platinum catalyst. Films of SWCNTs and commercial platinum (Pt) black were sequentially cast on a carbon fiber electrode (CFE) using a simple electrophoretic deposition procedure. Scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy showed that the nanotubes and the platinum retained their nanostructure morphology on the carbon fiber surface. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) revealed that the carbon nanotube-based electrodes exhibited an order of magnitude lower charge-transfer reaction resistance (R(ct)) for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) than did the commercial carbon black (CB)-based electrodes. The proton exchange membrane (PEM) assembly fabricated using the CFE/SWCNT/Pt electrodes was evaluated using a fuel cell testing unit operating with H(2) and O(2) as input fuels at 25 and 60 degrees C. The maximum power density obtained using CFE/SWCNT/Pt electrodes as both the anode and the cathode was approximately 20% better than that using the CFE/CB/Pt electrodes.     

PDDA修饰的碳纳米管载铂电催化剂的合成及其在碱性条件下的氧气还原反应催化性能

采用长链聚合物聚二烯丙基二甲基氯化铵(PDDA)对多壁碳纳米管(MWCNTs)进行修饰,并将采用胶体法还原出的铂(Pt)纳米粒子通过静电作用担载于PDDA修饰的多壁碳纳米管上,从而制备出Pt/PDDA/MWCNTs复合电催化剂.透射电镜(TEM)与X射线衍射(XRD)测试结果表明, Pt纳米粒子均匀地分布在MWCNTs的表面,其平均粒径约为3.6 nm.热失重分析显示催化剂的实际负载量为36%(w).旋转圆盘电极测试结果表明, Pt/PDDA/MWCNTs催化剂对碱性条件下的氧气还原反应(ORR)具有优异的催化活性.与负载量为40%(w)的商业Pt/C催化剂相比, Pt/PDDA/MWCNTs催化剂的氧气还原反应的起始电位和半波电位均正移约30 mV,其质量比活性更大.动力学研究结果进一步证实Pt/PDDA/MWCNTs催化剂比负载量为40%(w)的商业Pt/C催化剂在碱性条件下对氧气还原反应具有更优异的催化活性.     

Electronic properties and reactivity of Pt-doped carbon nanotubes

The structures of the (5,5) single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) segments with hemispheric carbon cages capped at the ends (SWCNT rod) and the Pt-doped SWCNT rods have been studied within density functional theory. Our theoretical studies find that the hemispheric cages introduce localized states on the caps. The cap-Pt-doped SWCNT rods can be utilized as sensors because of the sensitivity of the doped Pt atom. The Pt-doped SWCNT rods can also be used as catalysts, where the doped Pt atom serves as the enhanced and localized active center on the SWCNT. The adsorptions of C(2)H(4) and H(2) on the Pt atom in the Pt-doped SWCNT rods reveal different adsorption characteristics. The adsorption of C(2)H(4) on the Pt atom in all of the three Pt-doped SWCNT rods studied (cap-end-doped, cap-doped, and wall-doped) is physisorption with the strongest interaction occurring in the middle of the sidewall of the SWCNT. On the other hand, the adsorption of H(2) on the Pt atom at the sidewall of the SWCNT is chemisorption resulting in the decomposition of H(2), and the adsorption of H(2) at the hemispheric caps is physisorption.     

Kinetic Isotope Effect as a Tool To Investigate the Oxygen Reduction Reaction on Pt-based Electrocatalysts – Part II: Effect of Platinum Dispersion

We investigated the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) mechanism on Pt nanoparticles (NPs) dispersed on several carbon blacks with various physicochemical properties (i. e. specific surface ranging from 80 to 900 m² g⁻¹, different graphitization degree, etc.). Using the kinetic isotope effect (KIE) along with various electrochemical characterizations, we determined that the rate determining step (RDS) of the ORR is a proton-independent step when the density of Pt NPs on the surface of the carbon support is high. Upon decrease of the density of Pt NPs on the surface, the RDS of the ORR starts involving a proton, as denoted by an increase of the KIE >1. This underlined the critical role played by the carbon support in the oxygen reduction reaction electrocatalysis by Pt supported on high surface area carbon.     

层级多孔碳载铂催化剂的制备及可达性

层级多孔碳作为氧还原铂基催化剂载体的选择之一, 简单的旋转圆盘电极(RDE)验证此类催化剂具有较高的氧还原活性, 但几乎都缺少膜电极(MEA)性能验证, 实用性无法保证. 本文设计制备了基于聚苯胺的层级多孔碳（NHPC）载铂催化剂（Pt/NHPC850）, 研究了其氧还原活性、 MEA质子传输和氧传输特性. RDE测试研究表明, Pt/NHPC850催化剂在低I/C（离聚物与碳载体质量比）时的面积活性低于实心碳载铂催化剂（Pt/XC-72）, 但当I/C增大到与膜电极中一致时, 由于Nafion树脂对Pt催化剂的毒化作用增强, 其面积活性反而优于 Pt/XC-72. Pt/NHPC850催化剂的高Pt分散性及其优异的抗Nafion毒化性能, 使其在I/C为0.8时的质量活性为Pt/XC-72催化剂的1.34倍. MEA质子传输研究表明, 即使在高加湿条件下, Pt/NHPC850质子电阻率仍高达72.6 mΩ·cm², 为Pt/XC-72的3倍. Pt/NHPC850制备的膜电极极化曲线在500 mA/cm²电流密度下性能迅速下降, Pt/NHPC850的氧增益电压达到144.4 mV, 比Pt/XC-72高56.7 mV. 表明Pt/NHPC850膜电极的质子传输和氧传输性能较差. 对比Pt/NHPC850催化剂的RDE和MEA的测试结果, 说明以层级多孔碳为载体的铂碳催化剂虽然耐Nafion毒化能力提高, 但是质子和氧气的氧传输性较差, 此类层级多孔碳还需进一步优化其结构, 才有可能满足低铂质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）的应用需求.     

应用于氧还原反应的石墨烯-无定形碳核壳结构复合材料载铂催化剂(英文)

采用氯化法制备石墨烯-无定型碳复合材料(GNS@a-C),并用作质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)氧还原反应Pt催化剂的载体.结果显示,所制Pt/GNS@a-C催化剂与传统商业催化剂Pt/C相比,有较好的活性和较高的稳定性:质量活性(0.121 A/mg)几乎是Pt/C(0.064 A/mg)的两倍.更重要的是,该新型催化剂加速4000圈后其电化学活性面积保留了最初的51%,与Pt/C的33%相比,前者有更好的电化学稳定性,显示它在PEMFC中将具有较好的应用潜力.     

Pig Bone Derived Hierarchical Porous Carbon‐Supported Platinum Nanoparticles with Superior Electrocatalytic Activity Towards Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Hierarchical porous carbon (HPC) with nitrogen doped three dimension open macropore structure was prepared from pig bone, and applied for the support material for platinum nanoparticle (Pt NP) electrocatalyst. Compared with carbon black supported Pt NP electrocatalysts, the Pt/HPC exhibited larger electrochemical active surface area and enhanced catalytic properties for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in terms of on‐set potential, current density, mass activity and stability. The superior catalytic activity is mainly attributed to the high surface area, hierarchical porous structures and the nitrogen‐doped surface properties of the HPC, indicating it is a promising support material for the ORR electrocatalysts.     

The production of a high loading of almost monodispersed Pt nanoparticles on single-walled carbon nanotubes for methanol oxidation

Pt/single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) composites have been prepared by mixing surfactant-assisted solubilized SWCNTs and Pt carbonyl complexes. Pt nanoparticles that are nearly monodispersed with a diameter of ca. 2.2 nm are formed on the surface of the SWCNTs and broadly dispersed (even at 60 wt.% loading) on individual and/or small bundles. Formation of the composite does not lead to a change in the structure of SWCNTs, and the composite exhibits significantly enhanced electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation. The enhancement in catalytic activity may result from the unique 1-D structures of SWCNTs, the uniform dispersion of Pt nanoparticles, and the interactions between the Pt nanoparticles and the SWCNTs. The SWCNT-supported Pt can serve as a high surface area support for fuel cell applications and a co-catalyst for methanol oxidation.     

Carbon nanotubes as a secondary support of a catalyst layer in a gas diffusion electrode for metal air batteries

In this paper, we report the use of binary carbon supports (carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and active carbon) as a catalyst layer for fabricating gas diffusion electrodes. The electrocatalytic properties for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were evaluated by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) in an alkaline electrolyte. The binary-support electrode exhibits better performance than the single-support electrode, and the best performance is obtained when the mass ratio of carbon nanotubes and active carbon is 50:50. The results from the electrode kinetic parameters indicate that the introduction of carbon nanotubes as a secondary support provides high accessible surface area, good electronic conductivity, and fast ORR kinetics. Furthermore, the effect of CNT support on the electrocatalytic properties of Pt nanoparticles for binary-support electrodes was also investigated by different loading-reduction methods. The electrocatalytic activity of the binary-support electrodes is improved dramatically by Pt loading on CNT carbon support, even at very low Pt loading. Additionally, the EIS analysis results indicate that the process of ORR may be controlled by diffusion of oxygen in the electrode thin film for binary-support electrodes with or without Pt catalyst.     

Pt纳米催化剂在质子交换膜燃料电池催化层中的尺寸效应研究

以XC-72碳黑为载体, H2[PtCl6]为前驱体, 采用浸渍还原法并结合后续高温处理, 制备出不同尺寸Pt颗粒(3～8 nm)的Pt/C催化剂. 在基于质子交换膜燃料电池(PEMFC)单电池的电化学电解池中, 对实际PEMFC催化层中燃料电池反应的Pt催化剂尺寸效应进行了研究. 结果表明, 在PEMFC催化层环境中, Pt/C纳米催化剂对氢氧化和氧还原反应均有显著的粒度尺寸效应. 随着Pt粒度减小, 氢氧化和氧还原反应的表面积活性均降低.     

纳米碳管作为氧扩散电极催化层第二相碳载体的电极特性

A novel gas diffusion electrode using binary carbon supports (carbon nanotubes and active carbon) as the catalyst layer was prepared. The electrochemical properties for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline electrolyte were investigated by polarization curves and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The results show that the binary-support electrode exhibits higher electrocatalytic activity than the single-support electrode, and the best performance is obtained when the mass ratio of carbon nanotubes and activated carbon is 50 ∶50. The results from their electrode kinetic parameters indicate that the introduction of carbon nanotubes as a secondary support provides high accessible surface area, good electronic conductivity and fast ORR kinetics. The electrocatalytic activity of binary-support electrodes is obviously improved by the deposition of Pt nanoparticles on carbon nanotubes, even at very low Pt loading (45.7 μg/cm2). In addition, the EIS analysis results show that the process of ORR may be controlled by diffusion of oxygen in the thin film for binary-support electrodes with or without Pt catalyst.     

The real role of carbon in Pt/C catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

A new electrocatalysis of carbon materials for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on Pt/C catalysts was discovered. It was found that there exist two kinds of electroactive sites on these supports of carbon materials, which can effectively electrocatalyze the reduction of peroxide intermediated from oxygen reduction on Pt, as this provides continuous driving force to move the equilibrium toward the production of peroxide from ORR.     

Au@Pt纳米粒子催化O2还原反应的电化学研究

以100 nm的Au粒子为核,抗坏血酸为还原剂,H2PtCl6·6H2O为前驱体,合成了Pt包Au核壳结构纳米粒子( Au@ Pt)及其修饰的玻碳(GC)电极(Au@ Pt/GC).采用旋转圆盘电极等常规电化学方法,比较了Au@ Pt/GC和商用碳载铂(Pt/C)修饰的玻碳电极(Pt/C/GC)催化O2还原反应活性及耐甲醇性能,发现Au@ Pt纳米粒子在铂用量很低的情况下,其催化O2还原反应活性仍与商用Pt/C相当,而且还具有优良的耐甲醇性能;其催化O2还原反应机理按O2直接还原成H2O的四电子历程进行.     

Pt/Pd/C catalysts with ultra low platinum content for oxygen reduction reaction

The activity of Pt/Pd/C ETEK catalysts of the core-shell type with an ultralow content of platinum (0.5–15 μg cm^?2) based on a commercial palladium catalyst is shown to exceed the activity of commercial Pt/C ETEK catalysts in the oxygen reduction reaction. The activity sharply increases with the decrease in the platinum content down to values corresponding to monolayer and submonolayer of platinum on palladium. This dependence wasn’t observed for the same amounts of platinum deposited on the carbon support Vulcan XC-72. This makes it possible to conclude that the most probable factor responsible for the high catalytic activity of Pt/Pd/C ETEK is the effect of palladium on the electronic properties of platinum rather than the effect of structural modification of the platinum deposit induced by the decrease in the platinum amount deposited on a foreign metal or a carbon support.     

Nb-TiO2 supported Pt cathode catalyst for polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

The Nb-doped TiO₂ nanostructure (Nb-TiO₂) was prepared as a support of metal catalyst in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells. Using the Nb-TiO₂ nanostructure support, we prepared the Nb-TiO₂ supported catalyst. The Nb-TiO₂ supported Pt catalyst (Pt/Nb-TiO₂) showed the well dispersion of Pt catalysts (∼3 nm) on the Nb-TiO₂ nanostructure supports (∼10 nm). The Pt/Nb-TiO₂ showed an excellent catalytic activity for oxygen reduction compared with carbon supported Pt cathode catalyst. The enhanced catalytic activity of Pt/Nb-TiO₂ in electrochemical half cell measurement may be mainly due to well dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on Nb-TiO₂ nanosized supports. In addition, from XANES spectra of Pt L edge obtained with the supported catalysts, the improved catalytic activity of Pt/Nb-TiO₂ for oxygen reduction may be caused by an interaction between oxide support and metal catalyst.     

Oxygen-deficient titania as alternative support for Pt catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Insufficient electrochemical stability is a major challenge for carbon materials in oxygen reduction reaction （ORR） due to carbon corrosion and insufficient metal-support interactions. In this work, titania is explored as an alternative support for Pt catalysts. Oxygen deficient titania samples including TiO2-x and TiO2_xNy were obtained by thermal treatment of anatase TiO2 under flowing H2 and NH3, respectively. Pt nanoparticles were deposited on the titania by a modified ethylene glycol method. The samples were characterized by N2-physisorption, X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The ORR activity and long-term stability of supported Pt catalysts were evaluated using linear sweep voltammetry and chronoamperometry in 0.1 mol/L HC104. Pt/TiO2_x and Pt/TiO2_xNy showed higher ORR activities than Pt/TiO2 as indicated by higher onset potentials. Oxygen deficiency in TiO2-x and TiO2-xNy contributed to the high ORR activity due to enhanced charge transfer, as disclosed by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy studies. Electrochemical stability studies revealed that Pt/TiOE_x exhibited a higher stability with a lower current decay rate than commercial Pt/C, which can be attributed to the stable oxide support and strong interaction between Pt nanoparticles and the oxygen-deficient TiO2-x support.     

碳载Pt-Ni催化剂对直接甲醇燃料电池阴极氧电还原性能的影响

采用间歇式微波法制备了不同Pt、Ni原子比的碳载Pt-Ni催化剂。XRD结果表明,用这种方法制备的催化剂分散得比较好,具有较小的平均粒径,其中Pt-Ni/C(3∶1)催化剂的粒径最小。在旋转圆盘电极上进行氧的还原测试结果表明,当电解质溶液中没有甲醇和有甲醇存在时,Pt-Ni/C(3∶1)催化剂对氧的催化还原活性都很高,说明Pt-Ni/C(3∶1)催化剂对氧的催化还原受甲醇的影响较小。     

Pt supported on carbon nanofibers as electrocatalyst for low temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells

Carbon nanofibers synthesized via the thermo catalytic decomposition of methane were investigated for the first time as an electrocatalyst support in PEMFC cathodes. Their textural and physical properties make them a highly efficient catalyst support for cathodic oxygen reduction in low temperature PEMFC. Tests performed in MEAs showed that Pt supported on carbon nanofibers exhibited an enhancement of ca. 94% in power density at 0.600 V, in comparison with a commercial catalyst supported on conventional carbon black, Pt/Vulcan XC-72R.