Synthesis of graphene-supported one-dimensional nanoporous Pt based catalysts, and their enhanced performance on methanol electro-oxidation

Abstract

A novel approach is developed to synthesize PtIr or Pt nanowires (NWs) supported on the reduced graphene oxide (RGO) using Te NWs as template based on the replacement reaction. The resulting RGO-supported PtIr and Pt electrocatalysts are characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), energy-dispersive x-ray spectroscopy and electrochemical techniques. TEM images show that these Pt based catalysts are uniformly distributed in the matrix of graphene with a characteristic of one-dimensional (1D) nanoporous structure. As one of promising anode materials used in the direct methanol fuel cells, these 1D nanoporous PtIr/RGO (or Pt/RGO) hybrids exhibit an enlarged electroactive surface and enhanced catalytic activity toward the methanol reaction relative to those PtIr or Pt NWs without graphene support.