Ultrathin and coiled carbon nanosheets as Pt carriers for high and stable electrocatalytic performance

Abstract

Highly graphitic carbon nanomaterials with large specific surface area and good dispersion are very favorable supports for Pt-based catalysts in fuel cells. Ultrathin and coiled carbon nanosheets (UC-CNS) were successfully synthesized via chemical vapor deposition method using tungsten carbide (WC) as substrate. After the WC@UC-CNS was immersed in HF/HNO3/H2O solution, UC-CNS was completely stripped away from the WC substrate without obvious destruction, and possessed coiled edges and more oxygen-containing functional groups for anchoring Pt nanoparticles. Another obtained product (WO3) could be used as a tungsten source to produce UC-CNS repeatedly. The purified UC-CNS, with thicknesses of 3.45–5.61 nm, possessed high specific surface area (547 m2 g−1) and high degree of graphitization (IG/ID=1.43). Pt loaded on the UC-CNS exhibited high electrocatalytic activity and extremely high stability for methanol oxidation reaction even after 14,000 potential cycles. We believe UC-CNS can be widely used in fuel cells and other related green chemical applications.