Using formic acid vapor as reducer to prepare Pt nanoparticles supported on carbon nanofiber mats for methanol electrooxidation

• Electrospinning-derived carbon fibrous mats (CFMs) have been fabricated.
• Pt particles were supported on CFMs by reducing H2PtCl6 with formic acid vapor.
• Pt-CFMs electrodes exhibit better catalytic performance for methanol oxidation.

A novel process has been developed to prepare well-dispersed Pt nanoparticles on electrospinning-derived carbon fibrous mats (CFMs), which involved the physical adsorption of H2PtCl6 on CFMs and the reduction of H2PtCl6 with formic acid vapor. The most important advantage of this method is its simplicity, solvent-saving and benign to the environment. The performance of the prepared Pt-CFMs electrodes for methanol oxidation has been investigated and the results demonstrate that Pt-CFMs exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity and stability towards methanol oxidation and better tolerance towards reaction intermediates than commercial Pt/C supported on CFMs.

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