Enhanced catalytic performance of Pt/TNTs composite electrode by reductive doping of TNTs

Abstract

This paper introduced a novel method to fabricate Pt/TiO2 nanotube arrays (TNTs) composite electrode with enhanced catalytic performance toward methanol oxidation. The TNTs supports were pretreated by reductive doping, and Pt nanoparticles were subsequently implanted in the TNTs by electrochemical deposition. Effects of the reductive doping on the microstructure and electrocatalytic activity of Pt/TNTs composite electrode were studied. The results show that Ti3+ is produced by the reductive doping of TNTs, which makes the resistance of TNTs efficiently decreased. The increased conductivity of TNTs facilitated the subsequent electrodeposition of Pt nanoparticles, leading to the smaller size of Pt particles and higher deposition rate. The Pt/reductive doped TNTs electrode prepared from 4h electrodeposition exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity, for which the peak current density is as high as 76.6mAcm−2 and the mass transfer coefficient is obviously increased.