Pt nanoparticles supported on non-carbon titanium chromium nitride nanotubes with high activity and durability for methanol oxidation reaction

• Published in: Journal of solid state electrochemistry Vol. 23; no. 1; pp. 315 - 324
• Main Authors: Chen, Xiaoxiang, Pan, Zhanchang, Zhou, Qiuman, Huang, Zhaojie, Xu, Yanbin, Hu, Guanghui, Wu, Shoukun, Chen, Chun, Lin, LuHua, Lin, Yingsheng
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Berlin/Heidelberg Springer Berlin Heidelberg 01.01.2019; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Analytical Chemistry; Catalysis; Catalysts; Catalytic activity; Characterization and Evaluation of Materials; Chemistry; Chemistry and Materials Science; Chromium nitride; Condensed Matter Physics; Doping; Durability; Electrochemical oxidation; Electrochemistry; Energy Storage; Fuel cells; Methanol; Nanoparticles; Nanotubes; Original Paper; Oxidation; Photoelectrons; Physical Chemistry; Platinum; Synergistic effect; Titanium; Transmission electron microscopy; X ray photoelectron spectroscopy; X-ray diffraction; Enhanced stability; Methanol oxidation reaction; Titanium chromium nitride nanotubes; Direct methanol fuel cells
• ISSN: 1432-8488; 1433-0768
• DOI: 10.1007/s10008-018-4135-4

A hybrid titanium chromium nitride nanotube (Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NT) support was prepared by a facile synthesis procedure and further used as support for Pt nanoparticles (Pt/Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NTs). The catalyst was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen absorption/desorption, which show that the Pt/Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NTs are formed with homogeneous cohesively attached nitride nanotube crystals. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) reveals that the interaction between Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NTs and Pt nanoparticles is enhanced due to the Cr element doping. Furthermore, the electrochemical experiments demonstrate that Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NT-supported Pt catalyst exhibits enhanced catalytic activity and durability for methanol electrooxidation compared with traditional Pt/C catalyst. The experimental dates indicate that the excellent stability and durability of Pt/Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NTs toward methanol electrochemical oxidation might be mainly ascribed to the synergistic effect introduced by Cr doping and the tubular nanostructures. The above results indicate that Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NTs as support have a promising future in direct methanol fuel cells. Graphical abstract Robust non-carbon Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N nanotubes with tubular structure used as Pt support are synthesized by a facile method, and the Pt/Ti 0.95 Cr 0.05 N NT catalyst exhibits much higher activity and stability than conventional JM Pt/C and Pt/TiN NT catalysts for methanol electrooxidation.