Graphene nanoplate-Pt composite as a high performance electrocatalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

A soft chemical method has been developed to load Pt nanoparticles on graphene nanoplates (GNPs) without damaging their graphene structures. Our approach does not require cumbersome oxidation of graphite in advance and needs no subsequent reduction of graphene oxide (GO) with reducing agents or by thermal treatment. Transmission electron microscope observation reveals that Pt nanoparticles with an average diameter of 2.3 nm are uniformly dispersed on the GNP surface. Raman spectroscopy confirms the GNPs have a very low defect density. This graphene nanoplate-Pt (GNP/Pt) composite exhibits superior electrochemical activity and high poison tolerance toward methanol oxidation compared to reduced graphene oxide-Pt (RGO/Pt) and Vulcan XC-72-Pt (XC-72/Pt) with the same Pt content, which demonstrate that the GNPs can be used as promising electrocatalyst supports for direct methanol fuel cells.

Pt nanoparticles with an average diameter of 2.3 nm are uniformly dispersed onto the graphene nanoplates via a soft chemical method, forming a nanocomposite with unusually electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Pt particles are uniformly dispersed on the graphene nanoplates via a soft chemical method.
► Our approach does not require cumbersome oxidation of graphite.
► The graphene nanoplates have a very low defect density.
► The graphene nanoplate-Pt composite exhibits excellent electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation.