Acta Phys. -Chim. Sin. ›› 2010, Vol. 26 ›› Issue (08): 2255-2260.doi: 10.3866/PKU.WHXB20100829

• CATALYSIS AND SURFACE STRUCTURE • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol with Poly Functionalized Multiwalled Carbon Nanotubes Supported Pt Catalysts

ZHAO Yan-Chun1, LAN Huang-Xian1,2, DENG Bin-Bin1, YANG Xiu-Lin1, WANG Feng-Yang1   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory for the Chemistry and Molecular Engineering of Medicinal Resources, Ministry of Education of China, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Guangxi Normal University, Guilin 541004, Guangxi Province, P. R. China;
    2. Guangxi Coal Scientifical Institute, Nangni 523003, Guangxi Province, P. R. China
  • Received:2009-12-18 Revised:2010-04-28 Published:2010-07-23
  • Contact: ZHAO Yan-Chun E-mail:yanchunzh@yahoo.cn
  • Supported by:

    The project was supported by the Young Science Foundation of Guangxi, China (0728043), Guangxi Ministry of Education Foundation, China ([2006]26) and Innovation Plan in Graduate Education of Guangxi, China (2009106020703M49).

Abstract:

A novel process to prepare well-dispersed Pt nanoparticles on poly(N-acetylaniline) functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (Pt/PAANI-MWCNTs) using chemical in situ polymerization and reduction is reported. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy as well as Raman spectroscopy were used to characterize the catalyst. We found that PAANI can easily immobilize onto the MWCNTs because of a strong interaction with the basal plane of graphite via π-stacking. The Pt particles supported on the PAANI-MWCNTs are uniformly dispersed with a narrow particle size distribution. The electrocatalytic activity of the Pt/PAANI-MWCNTs towards the oxidation of methanol was investigated using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The results indicate that the Pt/PAANI-MWCNTs catalysts exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity, better anti-poisoning ability, and good stability during methanol oxidation in comparison to the Pt/MWCNTs for acid oxidation (Pt/AO-MWCNTs).

Key words: Direct methanol fuel cell, Poly(N-acetylaniline), Multiwalled carbon nanotubes, Pt catalyst, Electrocatalytic performance