Platinum nanoparticles supported on nitrogen and sulfur-doped reduced graphene oxide nanomaterial as highly active electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation

Abstract

A fuel cell is an electrochemical cell that converts a source fuel into an electrical current. It generates electricity inside a cell through reactions between a fuel and an oxidant, triggered in the presence of an electrolyte. Fuel cells have been attracting more and more attention in recent decades due to high-energy demands, fossil fuel depletions and environmental pollution throughout world. In this study, a facile and cost-effective catalysts have been developed on platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) supported on nitrogen and sulfur-doped reduced graphene oxide (NSrGO). The successful synthesis of nanomaterials and the prepared glassy carbon electrode (GCE) surfaces were confirmed by transmission electron microscope (TEM), X-ray photo electron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). According to TEM images, the average particle sizes of PtNPs were found to be approximately 15–20 nm. The effective surface areas (ESA) of NSrGO/GCE and PtNPs/NSrGO/GCE were calculated to be 148 and 469 cm2/mg, respectively. The PtNPs/NSrGO/GCE also exhibited a higher peak current for methanol oxidation than those of comparable GCE and NSrGO/GCE, providing evidence for its higher electro-catalytic activity. © 2016, Springer Science+Business Media New York.