Insertion of Platinum Particles in Bacterial Cellulose Membranes from PtCl4 and H2PtCl6 Precursors

Abstract

SummaryThe Pt nanoparticles have been synthesized in situ using bacterial cellulose (BC) membranes as the matrix. The BC was immersed in a solution of PtCl4 and H2PtCl6 as Pt(IV) precursors also in surfactant stabilized Multiwall Carbon Nanotubes (MWCNT) as carbon source. Then, the Pt(IV) was reduced by hydrogen gas. Two routes have been applied for the insertion Pt particles; in the first route the Pt particles were inserted before the insertion of MWCNT and in the second route the other way around was applied. The products of these two insertion routes for each precursor are designated as BC‐‐MWCNT, BC‐‐MWCNT for the first route and BC‐MWCNT‐, BC‐MWCNT‐ for the second route, respectively. Both routes revealed that the Pt particles insertion in BC depends on the type of precursors and insertion routes, as seen from the morphology and Pt particles content. The first route produces Pt diameter of 26 nm while the second one 42 nm. The use of PtCl4 in the first route resulted in higher content of Pt particles (50%) compared to H2PtCl6 (39%). On the other hand, the type of precursor did not give any significant effect to the content of Pt inserted; both gave 29% of Pt to the second route. The high Pt content observed on the BC‐‐MWCNT membrane surface is possible because PtCl4 precursor forms H2[PtCl4(OH)2] that initially can be bound via hydrogen bonding to the BC backbone. It is concluded that smaller size and high content of Pt particles have been obtained from PtCl4 precursor, the distribution of Pt particles and MWCNT are almost homogenous in the BC‐‐MWCNT membrane derived from precursor PtCl4.