Environment-friendly facile synthesis of Pt nanoparticles supported on polydopamine modified carbon materials

Abstract

Pt-based catalysts are widely used in fuel cells and sensors for their exceptional electrocatalytic activity. Among the different methods for producing Pt-based catalysts, chemical reduction is favorable, due to its scalability in volume production and versatility in realizing abundant chemical functionalization. In this paper, an environment-friendly method for the facile synthesis of Pt nanoparticles supported on polydopamine (Pdop) modified carbon materials (multiwalled carbon nanotubes, carbon nanospheres and Vulcan XC-72 carbon black) is reported. Since Pdop is employed as the reductant and crosslinking agent, no reducing agents, surfactants, organic solvents, etc., are needed. The Pt-based catalysts produced using this method have a unique electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation. This environmentally friendly method is promising for the synthesis of high performance catalysts for fuel cells, gas phase catalysis, and sensors.