Electrochemical and Physical Characterization of Pt Activated Micromesoporous Vanadium Carbide Derived Carbon Electrodes in Sulfuric Acid Solution

Abstract

Micromesoporous carbide derived carbon (CDC) powders synthesized from vanadium carbide (VC) at 900°C and 1100°C using high-temperature chlorination method were used as catalyst supports for Pt nanoclusters modified electrodes. The specific surface area of unmodified C(VC)900°C and C(VC)1100°C powders were 1348 and 236 m2 g−1, respectively, and for modified Pt-C(VC)900°C and Pt-C(VC)1100°C powders 513 to 89 m2 g−1, respectively. Analysis of X-ray diffraction, X-ray fluorescence, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy data confirm that CDC based catalysts are free from residuals of raw materials, chlorine and, chloride ions contamination and show that the materials with highly porous structure have been formed. It was established that the Pt nanoclusters have been deposited uniformly into/onto CDC. Cyclic voltammetry and rotating disk electrode data show that high cathodic current density −70 A m−2 has been achieved for 0.5 M H2SO4 aqueous solution. The high kinetic current density values, noticeably depending on the material porosity studied, have been obtained for Pt-nanocluster|CDC materials.