Synthesis of star shaped electroactive, LEB state aniline oligomer and its high performing Pt and Pt-Au nanocatalyst for MOR

Abstract

Electrochemically active and star shaped aniline oligomer (SAO) has been prepared from N-phenyl-1,4-phenylenediamine and phloroglucinol in a simple synthetic route. The as prepared SAO is in its LEB state, this is the first time in the literature that an oligomer of this structure is used as support for Pt and Pt-Au nanoparticles for the methanol oxidation. Reduction of platinum for Pt/SAO and Pt-Au/SAO nanocatalysts has been achieved by formic acid. Extremely low amount of loading of catalyst (0.1 mg@3 mm GC electrode) is used. The bimetallic systems Pt-Au/SAO gave better current density towards methanol oxidation than single metallic systems Pt/SAO {2.066 × 10−5Acm−2 for 1:1 < 7.0 × 10−5Acm−2 for 1:1:1 and 8.78 × 10−5Acm−2 for 2:1 < 2.15 × 10−4Acm−2 for 2:2:1}, respectively.