Preparation and characterization of Pt/Sfmcmb electrocatalysts

Super fine mesocarbon microbead powders (SFMCMBs) as the new supports for platinum electrocatalysts were first investigated. The Pt/SFMCMB electrocatalysts were prepared by an impregnation-reduction method, with hexachloroplatinic acid as the platinum precursor and formaldehyde as reducing agent. The catalysts were characterized with X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission gun transmission electron microscope (TEM) and cyclic voltanumetry (CV). TEM photos showed the platinum particles were dispersed uniformly on the surface of SFMCMBs where the average platinum particle size were 4-6 nm and there existed a little aggregation of platinum particles in the Pt/SFMCMB catalysts. The XRD patterns showed the existence of the platinum on the supports. The acute peak corresponding to diffraction of graphitic structure indicate that SFMCMBs have good electric-conducting performance. The electrochemical analysis proved that SFMCMBs are excellent candidates to be used as the support of platinum electrocatalyst for methanol electrochemical oxidation as the potential catalyst candidate for direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs).