ELECTROCATALYTIC REDUCTION OF OXYGEN BY PLATINUM NANOPARTICLE MODIFIED MULITIWALL CARBON NANOTUBES

Ms Cui Huifang
Dept of Biological Science, NUS

Abstract
Platinum (Pt) nanoparticles have been electrodeposited on multiwall carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) by potential steps from 0.5 to -0.7 V with changes of step widths or step numbers. Surface morphologies, Pt specific surface areas, electrocatalytic oxygen reduction effects of Pt nanoparticle-electrodeposited MWNTs electrode (NanoPt/MWNTs) have been investigated.

Scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs of NanoPt/MWNTs show different Pt nanoparticle morphology changing tendencies between two different Pt electrodeposition methods. Pt nanoparticles deposited with low step number and long step width are compact and small, while those with short step width and high step number are bigger and have snowflake-like morphologies.  Pt specific surface area of Pt nanoparticles deposited with high step number is higher than that with long step width.

Similarly, NanoPt/MWNTs electrode with high step number exhibit higher electrocatalytic oxygen reduction effects than that with long step width. The electrocatalytic oxygen reduction effects of NanoPt/MWNTs correlate with Pt specific surface area in these two deposition methods. The mechanisms of electrocatalytic oxygen reduction at NanoPt/MWNTs are discussed and will be explored in the future work.  

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