The electrochemical properties of carbon nanotubes and carbon XC-72R and their application as Pt supports

Abstract

The results of an investigation of two samples of commercial multi- -walled carbon nanotubes and a sample of carbon black, in the raw and activated state, were presented in the lecture. The activation of the carbon materials led to the formation of an abundance of oxygen-containing functional groups on the surface, an increased electrochemically active surface area, an enhanced charge storage ability and a promotion of the electron-transfer kinetics. It was presented that the morphology of the carbon nanotubes is important for the electrochemical properties, because nanotubes with a higher proportion of edge and defect sites showed faster electron transfer and pseudocapacitive redox kinetics. Modification of oxidized nanotubes by ethylenediamine and wrapping by poly(diallyldimethylammonium chloride) led to a decrease in the electrochemically active surface area and to reduced electrontransfer kinetics. Pt nanoparticles prepared by the microwave-assisted polyol method were deposited at the investigated carbon materials. A much higher efficiency of Pt deposition was observed on the modified CNTs than on the activated CNTs. The activity of the synthesized catalyst toward electrochemical oxygen reduction was almost the same as the activity of the commercial Pt/XC-72 catalyst. © 2010 (CC) SCS.