Chemical vapor deposition of highly dispersed Pt nanoparticles on multi-walled carbon nanotubes for use as fuel-cell electrodes

• Published in: Carbon (New York) Vol. 49; no. 4; pp. 1491 - 1501
• Main Authors: Kim, Heeyeon, Moon, Sang Heup
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Kidlington Elsevier Ltd 01.04.2011; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalysis; Catalysts; Chemical vapor deposition; Chemisorption; Chemistry; Colloidal state and disperse state; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Electrodes; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Equipments for energy generation and conversion: thermal, electrical, mechanical energy, etc; Exact sciences and technology; Fuel cells; Fullerenes and related materials; diamonds, graphite; General and physical chemistry; Materials science; Nanoparticles; Physical and chemical studies. Granulometry. Electrokinetic phenomena; Physics; Platinum; Specific materials; Surface area; Theory of reactions, general kinetics. Catalysis. Nomenclature, chemical documentation, computer chemistry; Chemisorption; Carbon black; Catalysts; Carbon nanotubes; Durability; Dispersions; Carbon; Precursor; Particles; CVD; Electrodes; Nanoparticles; Cyclic voltammetry; Impregnation; Electrochemical properties; Multiwalled nanotube; Platinum; Transition elements; Fuel cells; Surface area
• ISSN: 0008-6223; 1873-3891
• DOI: 10.1016/j.carbon.2010.12.020

Fuel-cell electrode catalysts with improved electrochemical properties have been prepared by dispersing Pt nanoparticles onto carbon nanotubes (CNT) using a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method. (Trimethyl)methylcyclopentadienyl platinum (MeCpPtMe 3) has been used as a Pt precursor in the CVD process and the CVD conditions have been optimized to disperse small Pt particles onto the CNT. Pt particles synthesized by CVD have a relatively uniform size of approximately 1 nm, which is substantially smaller than in the case of a commercial Pt/carbon black catalyst (⩽4.5 nm) prepared by wet impregnation. The dispersion of Pt, estimated by CO chemisorption, is also more than 14% greater than the commercial catalyst with these smaller particles. The electrochemically active surface area (ESA), measured by cyclic voltammetry (CV), and the long-time durability of the surface area of Pt/CNT prepared by CVD are higher than those of the commercial catalyst. Consequently, the single cell performance of the former catalyst is superior to that of the latter one.