Facile one-pot synthesis of platinum nanoparticles decorated nitrogen-graphene with high electrocatalytic performance for oxygen reduction and anodic fuels oxidation

• A one-step synthesis of N-doped graphene decorated with Pt-nanoparticles was reported.
• The GCE/N-Gr/PtNP exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity toward O2 reduction.
• GCE/N-Gr/PtNP shows high electrocatalytic activity to alcohols, N2H4, HCOOH oxidation.
• N-Gr/PtNP lower poisoning/deactivation compared to commercial 10% carbon-Pt catalyst.
• This method can be developed to preparation of N-Gr decorated with other novel metals.

Due to exceptional electronic properties of graphene (Gr) and nitrogen doped graphene (N-Gr), they are considered as superior supporting platforms for novel metal nanoparticle decorations. Here, we report, a novel one-step electrochemical method for synthesis of Nitrogen-doped graphene sheets uniformly decorated with platinum nanoparticles (Pt/N-Gr). A graphite rod and platinum wire are respectively used for graphene and platinum nanoparticles production. The potential is cycled from −3V to +3V in acetonitrile solution as a nitrogen dopant source. By increasing the number of cycles the nitrogen-doped graphene/platinum nanoparticles composite is generated. After heat-treating the composite is characterized with various techniques such as FTIR, Raman, XPS, SEM and TEM. The electrocatalytic activity of the prepared composite toward the reduction of O2 and the oxidation of usual anodic fuels such as methanol, ethanol, hydrazine and formic acid is investigated using cyclic voltammetry technique. In comparison to commercial platinum/carbon, the onset potentials and the current densities for both O2 reduction and fuels oxidation are remarkably improved. Furthermore, the modified electrode by this composite shows good long-term stability and poisoning tolerance.

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