Platinum nanoparticles self-assembled onto chitosan membrane as anode for direct methanol fuel cell

In this article, incorporation of platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) into chitosan-coated glassy carbon (GC) electrode for methanol oxidation is studied. Pt-chitosan nanocomposites are prepared and characterized by UV-vis spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Catalytic activity of GC-PtNPs-chitosan electrode for the electrooxidation of methanol is studied by cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. The current density and potential of the methanol oxidation are affected by amount of platinum, methanol, sulfuric acid, and chitosan. The current density of the methanol oxidation at GC-PtNPs-chitosan electrode is measured in optimized conditions and compared with that obtained at the glassy carbon modified electrode by Pt with different polymers.