Abstract
Platinum and ruthenium nanoparticles that are uniformly dispersed on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were synthesized by vacuum pyrolysis using Pt(acac)2and Ru(acac)3as the metal precursors. The resulting nanocomposites were characterized by transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. The Pt, Pt45Ru55, and Ru nanoparticles had mean diameters of 3.0 ± 0.6, 2.7 ± 0.6, and 2.5 ± 0.4 nm and the same mole number as their metal precursors at 500°C. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt/MWNTs and PtRu/MWNTs was investigated at room temperature by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. All of the electrochemical results showed that the PtRu/MWNTs exhibited a high level of catalytic activity for methanol oxidation as a result of the large surface area of the supporting carbon nanotubes and the wide dispersion of the Pt and Ru nanoparticles. Compared with the Pt/MWNTs, the onset potential for methanol oxidation of the PtRu/MWNTs was significantly lower, and the ratio of the forward anodic peak current to the reverse anodic peak current during methanol oxidation was somewhat higher. The Pt45Ru55/MWNTs displayed the best electrocatalytic activity of all of the carbon-nanotube- supported Pt and PtRu catalysts.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 11447-11452 |
| Number of pages | 6 |
| Journal | Langmuir |
| Volume | 22 |
| Issue number | 26 |
| DOIs | |
| Publication status | Published - 19 Dec 2006 |
| Externally published | Yes |
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Materials Science
- Condensed Matter Physics
- Surfaces and Interfaces
- Spectroscopy
- Electrochemistry