Direct covalent thiolation of carbon nanotube supports to enhance the durability of highly loaded Pt electrocatalysts

Carbon corrosion is one of the most important issues for commercialization of fuel cell. We introduce a new approach to enhance the corrosion tolerance of carbon nanotube supports and simultaneously obtain high dispersion of Pt nanoparticles with a direct covalent functionalization method by using succinic acid radicals.

► New approach for the surface functionalization of carbon nanotube supports for Pt electrocatalysts. ► Surface functional groups have been commonly introduced by the defect functionalization generating a number of defects. ► Almost no defect was however found in the thiolated carbon nanotubes prepared by a direct covalent functionalization.