A facile and novel approach toward synthetic polypyrrole oligomers functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes as PtRu catalyst support for methanol electro-oxidation

A new process to prepare well-dispersed PtRu nanoparticles on polypyrrole oligomers (PPO)-functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes (PtRu/PPO-MWCNTs) is reported. In this method, bimetallic PtRu electrocatalysts are deposited onto polypyrrole oligomers (PPO)-functionalized MWCNTs by polyol process. The noncovalent functionalization of MWCNTs by PPO is simple and can be carried out at room temperature without the use of expensive chemicals or corrosive acids, thus preserving the integrity and the electronic structure of MWCNTs. PtRu electrocatalysts on PPO-functionalized MWCNTs show much better distribution with no formation of aggregates, higher electrochemically active surface area, and higher electrocatalytic activity and stability for the electro-oxidation of methanol in direct methanol fuel cells as compared to those on conventional acid-treated MWCNTs and carbon black supported PtRu electrocatalysts. It is implied in the study that the method of PPO-functionalized MWCNTs with Pt-based catalysts is promising and will be potential in design and fabrication of electrocatalysis.