Oxygen Electroreduction on Platinum Nanoparticles Deposited onto D-Glucose Derived Carbon

Abstract

Microporous-mesoporous carbon material synthesized from D-(+)-glucose using hydrothermal carbonization method was used as a porous support for platinum nanoparticles catalyst for oxygen electroreduction reaction (ORR). The platinum nanoparticles were deposited onto the support using sodium borohydride reduction method. The XRD, HRTEM, HRSEM, EDX, Raman spectroscopy and low-temperature N2 adsorption/desorption techniques were used to characterize the structures of unmodified and Pt-nanoclusters modified materials. The carbon support with high specific surface area (1190 m2 g−1) composes of almost ideally spherical amorphous microporous particles. The platinum nanoparticles are well dispersed on the surface of carbon particles. Cyclic voltammetry, rotating disc electrode and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy were applied to investigate the electrochemical behavior and ORR kinetics at the materials in 0.5 M H2SO4 aqueous solution. The Pt-nanoclusters modified material has good ORR activity but on the non-modified carbon support the ORR is sluggish. Cyclic voltammetry and impedance data showed that unmodified and Pt-nanoclusters modified materials have noticeable double layer (≈ 200 F g−1) and faradaic capacitances (up to 250 F g−1).