Oxygen-reduction reaction strongly electrocatalyzed by Pt electrodeposited onto graphene or graphene nanoribbons

Pt nanoclusters with Pt porous dendritic structures on top (high porosity materials) were electrodeposited at a low overpotential onto glassy carbon (GC) electrodes modified with graphite (GR), multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT), graphene oxide (GO), graphene oxide nanoribbons (GONR), chemically converted graphene (CCG), and graphene nanoribbons (GNR). The electrochemical profiles of these materials were investigated using cyclic voltammetry and microgravimetry (electrochemical quartz microbalance). Their electrocatalytic activity towards the oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR) was studied employing hydrodynamic cyclic voltammetry. Physical characterization of the samples was based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM), scanning electron microscope (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and energy-dispersive X-ray microanalysis (EDX). Pt electrocatalysts electrodeposited onto CCG and GNR exhibited high electrocatalytic activity towards ORR when compared with commercial Pt (10 wt.%) on carbon and high stability after 10 000 potential scans, suggesting the possibility of applying these catalysts to acid fuel cells-viable even in economic terms, as very low amounts of finely dispersed Pt per cm(2) onto thin CCG or GNR films were required to produce the electrocatalysts. GC electrodes modified with Pt electrodeposited onto GR, MWCNT, GO, or GONR exhibited poor electrocatalytic activity. (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.