Pt supported on phosphorus-doped carbon nanotube as an anode catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells

Phosphorus-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes (P-MCNTs) were synthesized by thermolysis and employed as supports to prepare Pt/P-MCNTs catalyst for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Pt/P-MCNTs exhibited much higher electrocatalytic activity and longer-term stability for methanol oxidation than Pt/MCNTs in acidic medium, due to the higher dispersion and utilization rate and the improvement of intrinsic activity for methanol oxidation of Pt nanoparticles, indicating a highly potential application of Pt/P-MCNTs in DMFCs.

Pt/P-MCNTs exhibited a much higher electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation than Pt/MCNTs, due to the formation of Pt particles with a smaller size and higher Pt utilization ratio and the improvement of Pt intrinsic activity for methanol oxidation.Figure optionsDownload as PowerPoint slideHighlights
► Pt supported on phosphorus-doped multiwalled carbon nanotubes as an anode catalyst (Pt/P-MCNTs) is prepared.
► P-MCNTs can facilitate the formation of Pt particles with much smaller size than MCNTs.
► The electro-activity of Pt/P-MCNTs for methanol oxidation is 5 times that of Pt/MCNTs.
► Pt nanoparticles supported on P-MCNTs have much higher stability than those on MCNTs.