Enhancing hydrogen storage on carbon nanotubes via hybrid chemical etching and Pt decoration employing supercritical carbon dioxide fluid

Acidic etching and Pt particle decoration were applied to modify the hydrogen absorption behavior of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Two different acidic solutions, namely H2SO4/HNO3 and FeSO4/H2SO4/H2O2, were used for etching treatment. A novel electroless deposition process, incorporating supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2) fluid, was used to decorate finely-dispersed nano-sized Pt particles on CNTs. The hydrogen storage capacities of various modified CNTs were measured by using a high pressure thermal gravimetric microbalance (HPTGA). The experimental results showed that acidic etching could increase the surface defect density and lead to open-up of the caps of CNTs, resulting in an increase in the active adsorption site for physical sorption of H2. The electroless deposition of nano-Pt particles on CNTs, using conventional electrolyte, could promote chemical sorption of hydrogen via spillover mechanism. By employing sc-CO2 bath, the Pt particle size became much finer and more uniformly distributed on the surfaces of CNTs, giving rise to a high hydrogen storage capacity. When a hybrid process including sc-CO2 Pt decoration following acidic etching was applied to modify CNTs, a substantial enhancement of hydrogen storage capacity (about 2.7 wt%) was observed.

► Pt particle decoration onto CNTs can be performed in sc-CO2 in emulsion.
► Acidic etching can assist hydrogen entry and increase hydrogen adsorption sites.
► Combined acidic etching and Pt decoration enhance hydrogen adsorption capacity.