Microwave synthesis and characterization of Pt nanoparticles supported on undoped nanodiamond for methanol electrooxidation

Platinum nanoparticles supported on undoped nanodiamond (ND) with an average particle size of 50 nm were prepared using a microwave-heating polyol method. This method involves the addition of different amounts of chloroplatinic acid in the synthesis solution to obtain different Pt mass percentages. The Pt/ND catalysts were characterized by energy-dispersive spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray diffraction. The small and uniform Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed on ND supports. The mean size of the Pt particles was 4-5 nm. The effect of Pt loading on catalytic performance was investigated. Electrochemical measurements demonstrate that the Pt/ND catalysts prepared with proper Pt mass percentage exhibited a significantly high electrocatalytic activity for methanol electrooxidation. Copyright (C) 2011, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.