Studies on the Structure and Electrochemical Performance of Pt/Carbon Aerogel Catalyst for Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Platinum catalysts supported on carbon aerogel (Pt/CA) with different pore structures were synthesized by an ethylene glycol liquid-phase reduction method. The Pt/CA catalysts were characterized by X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, and cyclic voltammetry. The effect of the pore structures of CAs on the electrochemical performance of Pt/CA for a direct methanol fuel cell was also analyzed. Experimental results indicate that the Pt/CA catalysts synthesized have achieved an extremely uniform Pt dispersion. The size of the Pt nanoparticles is 2.3 nm. The electrochemical active area and mass activity of the Pt/CA catalyst prepared on a CA with R/C (resorcinol/cetyltrimethylammonium bromide molar ratio) = 125 reach 87.4 m(2) g(-1) and 395.3 A g(-1), respectively, which are significantly higher than those of commercial Pt/C catalysts.