| Article ID | Journal | Published Year | Pages | File Type |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 184612 | Electrochimica Acta | 2015 | 8 Pages |
•Multiwalled carbon nanotube was functionalized with nitrobenzene as a support material for Pt-based electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation.•The electronic properties of carbon nanotubes were modified by the nitrobenzene functionalization.•Nitrobenzene-functionalized electrocatalysts revealing the improved electrocatalytic performance of Pt-NB-MWCNT catalyst for the methanol oxidation reaction.
A novel method of molecular covalently functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotube using nitrobenzene group is prepared and used as a promising support material of Pt-based electrocatalysts (denoted as Pt-NB-MWCNT) for methanol oxidation reaction. The physical and chemical characteristics are performed by X-ray powder diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrocatalytic are evaluated by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry techniques. Compared with the un-functionalized Pt-MWCNT catalyst, Pt-NB-MWCNTs show more uniform particle dispersion, smaller particle size, improved activity and durability for methanol oxidation reaction. The nitrobenzene group is demonstrated to promote the electrocatalytic activity of Pt-MWCNT for methanol oxidation significantly. The results represent a novel approach to functionalize MWCNT in a simple and economic way to prepare efficient electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation.
Graphical abstractMultiwalled carbon nanotube was functionalized with nitrobenzene as a promising support material for Pt-based electrocatalysts (Pt-NB-MWCNT) for methanol oxidation. The as-prepared catalysts have higher electrocatalytic activity in terms of both mass and specific activities, and improved durability for methanol oxidation reaction than as compared to the undoped materials.Figure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide
