One-Pot Synthesis of Pt/Alumina Composites via AC-Bipolar Electrochemistry

Abstract

A porous alumina film decorated with platinum nanoparticles was formed on an aluminum substrate using one-pot-based on bipolar electrochemistry under an alternating current (AC) electric field. Most previous approaches of the fabrication of metal/porous alumina composites required at least two steps: the formation of a porous alumina film based on an anodic reaction (i.e., anodization) and the subsequent deposition of metal onto porous alumina based on a cathodic reaction (i.e., electrodeposition), and two types of electrolytes for anodization and electrodeposition, respectively. In this study, a Pt/porous alumina composite film was formed on an unconnected aluminum substrate based on a well-balanced redox reaction in a single electrolyte of phosphoric acid under an AC electric field. When the AC electric field was applied between Pt driving electrodes, dissolution of the Pt electrode and deposition of Pt on both sides of the unconnected aluminum electrode continuously proceeded in parallel with the forma...