Abstract
The electrochemical activity of catalysts strongly depends on the uniform distribution of monodisperse Pt nanoparticles without aggregates. Here, we propose a new hydrolysis-assisted smearing method for Pt loading on a free-standing paper-type electrode. Polyacrylonitrile (PAN)-based nanofiber paper was used as the electrode, and it acted as a Pt support. Hydrolysis of the electrode tripled the number of active nucleation sites for Pt adsorption on the PAN nanofibers, thereby significantly enhancing the wettability of the nanofibers. This facilitated the uniform distribution of Pt nanoparticles without aggregate formation up to 40 wt% (about 0.8 mg/cm2) with a particle size of about 3 nm. The catalytic current of the hydrolyzed Pt electrode in CH3OH/H2SO4 solution exceeded 213 mA/cm2 Pt mg, which was considerably greater than the current was 148 mA/cm2 Pt mg for an unhydrolyzed electrode.
Highlights
The electrochemical activity of catalysts strongly depends on the uniform distribution of monodisperse Pt nanoparticles without aggregates
The presence of extra carbonyl groups that were formed in the hydrolysis process enhanced the negative charge on the nanofiber s urface[17] and acted as electrophilic sites, providing nucleation sites for Pt adsorption as discussed later[18]
Carbonization led to the formation of Pt nanoparticles, and the diffusion of Pt atoms during carbonization was limited by the strong chemical bonding between carbon and P t18
Summary
The electrochemical activity of catalysts strongly depends on the uniform distribution of monodisperse Pt nanoparticles without aggregates. The use of PAN as a precursor is advantageous for obtaining robust nanofibers, which can be used as a free-standing carbon paper electrode for energy storage devices without requiring a binder, unlike the case of activated c arbons[16]. HAS method can uniformly distribute Pt nanoparticles on the surface of nanofibers by increasing an electrostatic attraction between a Pt precursor and an Electrospun PAN nanofiber paper used as an electrode[15].
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