The use of graphite oxide to produce mesoporous carbon supporting Pt, Ru, or Pd nanoparticles

Mesoporous carbon having platinum, ruthenium or palladium nanoparticles on exfoliated graphene sheets were produced from graphite oxide (GO) and metal complexes. The Pt included carbon was made by heating of the intercalation compound including tetraammineplatinum (II) chloride monohydrate. Samples having Ru or Pd are producible by heating in nitrogen gas atmosphere using hexaammineruthenium (III) chloride or tetraamminepalladium (II) chloride monohydrate instead of Pt complex. The particle sizes of platinum, ruthenium, and palladium were, respectively, 1–3, 1–2, and 3–7 nm. The platinum- or palladium-containing sample showed catalytic activity for oxygen reduction.