Electrodeposition of platinum nanoparticles on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol

Abstract

Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles were deposited at the surface of well-aligned multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by potential cycling between +0.50 and -0.70 V at a scanning rate of 50 mV·s-1 in 5 mM Na 2PtCl6 solution containing 0.1 M NaCl. The electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol at the nanocomposites of Pt nanoparticles/nanotubes (Ptnano/MWNTs) has been investigated using 0.2 M H2SO4 as supporting electrolyte. The effects of various parameters, such as Pt loading, concentration of methanol, medium temperature as well as the stability of Ptnano/MWNTs electrode, have been studied. Compared to glassy carbon electrode, carbon nanotube electrode significantly enhances the catalytic efficiency of Pt nanoparticles for methanol oxidation. This improvement in performance is due not only to the high surface area and the fast electron transfer rate of nanotubes but also to the highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles as electrocatalysts at the tips and the sidewalls of nanotubes. © Springer-Verlag 2005.