Direct synthesis of graphitic carbon nanostructures from saccharides and their use as electrocatalytic supports

An easy method is described for fabricating graphitic carbon nanostructures (GCNs) from a variety of saccharides; i.e., a monosaccharide (glucose), a disaccharide (sucrose) and a polysaccharide (starch). The synthesis scheme consists of: (a) impregnation of saccharide with Ni or Fe nitrates, (b) heat treatment under inert atmosphere (N2) up to 900 °C or 1000 °C and (c) oxidation in liquid phase to selectively recover the graphitic carbon. This procedure leads to GCNs with a variety of morphologies: nanopipes nanocoils and nanocapsules. Such GCNs have a high crystallinity, as shown by TEM/SAED, XRD and Raman analysis. The GCNs were used as supports for platinum nanoparticles, which were well dispersed (Mean Pt size ∼ 2–3 nm). Electrocatalysts thus prepared have electrocatalytic surface areas in the 70–95 m2 g−1 Pt range and exhibit high catalytic activities towards methanol electrooxidation.