Preparation of Surfactant-Free Pt and PtRu Nanoparticles with High Activity for Methanol Oxidation

A simple and green approach to synthesize highly active electro-catalysts for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) without using any organic agents is described. Pt nanoparticles are directly deposited on the pre-cleaned and pre-oxidized multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWCNT_s) from Pt salt by using CO as the reductant. MOR activity has been characterized by both cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry, the current density and mass specific current at the peak potential (ca. 0.9 V vs. RHE) reaches 11.6 mA/cm² and 860 mA/mg_Pt, respectively. After electro-deposition of Ru onto the Pt/MWCNT_s surface, the catalysts show steady state mass specific current of 20 and 80 mA/mg_Pt at 0.5 and 0.6 V, respectively.