Abstract

Platinum (Pt) is an efficient catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), but the debate of the relevance between the Pt particle size and its electrocatalytic activity still exist. The strong metal-support interaction (SMSI) between the metal and carrier causes the charge transfer and mass transport from the support to the metal. Herein, Pt species (0.5 wt.%) with various particle sizes supported on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have been synthesized by a photo-reduction method. The ~1.5 nm-sized Pt catalyst shows much higher HER performance than the counterparts in all pH solutions, and the mass activity of it is even 23–36 times that of Pt/C. While for ORR, the ~3 nm-sized Pt catalyst exhibits the optimal performance, and the mass activity is 3 times and even 16 times that of Pt/C in acidic and alkaline media, respectively. The high HER and ORR performances of the ~1.5 nm- and ~3 nm-sized Pt catalysts benefit from the SMSI between Pt and the CNTs matrix and the higher ratio of face sites to edge sites, which is meaningful for the design of efficient electrocatalysts for renewable energy application.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.