One-step electroless growth of nano-fibrous platinum catalyst from “paint-on” PtCl62- solution in poly-(ethylene-glycol)

• A convenient one-step synthesis of nano-platinum is suggested based on PEG solution thermolysis.
• Stable nano-fibrous platinum on ITO is formed and characterised in 0.5 M H2SO4.
• Effective methanol oxidation electrocatalysis is demonstrated with catalyst activity comparable to other nano-platinum materials.

The electrochemically reducing nature of the poly-(ethylene-glycol) solvent (PEG200) is exploited in a one-step electroless deposition of nano-fibrous platinum electrocatalyst. K2PtCl6 is dissolved in poly-(ethylene-glycol) and applied to a substrate (here tin-doped indium oxide, ITO). The deposition process is conducted by rapid heating in a furnace in air. Upon ramping the temperature up (with 10 °C per minute to 500 °C) a complex sequence of nucleation and growth reactions leads via (i) formation of nano-fibrous platinum and (ii) complete removal of all organic components directly to an electrochemically highly active platinum deposit. When characterised in aqueous 0.5 M H2SO4, typical poly-crystal Pt surface oxidation and hydrogen adsorption features were observed. Electrocatalysis is demonstrated for methanol oxidation, for which the rate of catalysis per electrochemically active area is increased compared to that for a conventional polycrystalline platinum macro-disc

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