Excellent dispersion and electrocatalytic properties of Pt nanoparticles supported on novel porous anatase TiO2 nanorods

Abstract

We synthesize, for the first time, a new Pt based catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells using homemade novel porous anatase TiO2 nanorods as a new catalyst support. Pt nanoparticles are prepared by an improved ethylene glycol reduction method and supported on the surface of TiO2 with excellent dispersion and without any aggregates. The structure and elemental composition of the TiO2 and Pt/TiO2 catalyst are characterized by transmission electron micrography (TEM), nitrogen sorption, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The electrocatalytic properties of the Pt/TiO2 catalyst for methanol and carbon monoxide electro-oxidation reactions are investigated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) in an acidic medium. Apparent electrocatalytic activity for methanol electro-oxidation reaction, high carbon monoxide tolerance and good stability are all observed for the Pt/TiO2 catalyst. These may be attributed to the excellent dispersion of the Pt nanoparticles and the special properties of the TiO2 support. These results imply that this Pt/TiO2 catalyst has promising potential applications in direct methanol fuel cells.