Hydrogen Oxidation Catalyzed by Pt Supported on Carbon Nanofibers with Different Graphite Sheet Orientations

The kinetic study of hydrogen oxidation with or without the presence of CO has been used as a tool to study the relative oxygen and CO adsorption strength on Pt nanoparticles, which are important parameters for fuel cell catalysts. It was found that the activation energy, which is determined by the oxygen binding energy, is influenced by the CNF graphite sheet orientation, CNF oxygen groups and catalyst preparation method. A weaker bonding of oxygen was indicated for Pt nanoparticles supported on platelet compared to Pt on fishbone CNFs. Moreover, oxygen seemed to be more strongly bonded to Pt particles on CNFs prepared by deposition-precipitation compared to those prepared by incipient wetness impregnation and a metal-oxide colloid method. Enhanced CO-adsorption was indicated for Pt supported on carbon nanofibers with introduced oxygen groups.