An Effective Approach towards the Immobilization of PtSn Nanoparticles on Noncovalent Modified Multi-Walled Carbon Nanotubes for Ethanol Electrooxidation

Xi Geng, Yinjie Cen, Richard D. Sisson and Jianyu Liang
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Xi Geng: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
Yinjie Cen: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
Richard D. Sisson: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA
Jianyu Liang: Department of Mechanical Engineering, Worcester Polytechnic Institute, 100 Institute Road, Worcester, MA 01609, USA

Energies, 2016, vol. 9, issue 3, 1-11

Abstract: In this article, we describe an effective method to tether Pt and PtSn nanoparticles (NPs) on polyelectrolyte modified multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) for ethanol electrooxidation. By using a polymer wrapping technique, positively charged polyethyleneimine (PEI) was attached onto carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to provide preferential linking sites for metal precursors. Well-dispersed Pt and PtSn nanocrystals (2–5 nm) were subsequently decorated on PEI-functionalized MWCNTs through the polyol reduction method. The successful non-covalent modification of MWCNTs was confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and Zeta potential measurements. Energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectrum indicates approximately 20 wt % Pt loading and a desirable Pt:Sn atomic ratio of 1:1. Electrochemical analysis demonstrated that the as-synthesized PtSn/PEI-MWCNTs nanocomposite exhibited improved catalytic activity and higher poison tolerance for ethanol oxidation as compared to Pt/PEI-MWCNTs and commercial Pt/XC-72 catalysts. The enhanced electrochemical performance may be attributed to the uniform dispersion of NPs as well as the mitigating of CO self-poisoning effect by the alloying of Sn element. This modification and synthetic strategy will be studied further to develop a diversity of carbon supported Pt-based hybrid nanomaterials for electrocatalysis.

Keywords: polyethyleneimine (PEI); PtSn nanoparticles (NPs); multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs); ethanol oxidation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
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