TiO2 nanofibers heterogeneously wrapped with reduced graphene oxide as efficient Pt electrocatalyst supports for methanol oxidation

The exploration of advanced catalyst supports is a promising route to obtain electrocatalysts with high activity and durability. Herein, TiO2 nanofibers heterogeneously wrapped with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) designated as h-rGO@TiO2-rGO were synthesized by a facile deposition and hydrothermal method and served as support for Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) used for methanol oxidation. The morphology and electrocatalytic properties of the catalysts were investigated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, cyclic voltammetry, and chronoamperometry. Pt NPs supported on h-rGO@TiO2-rGO showed uniform dispersion with a mean particle size of 3.4 nm. The electrocatalytic activity and stability of Pt/h-rGO@TiO2-rGO both improved remarkably compared with Pt/rGO and Pt/TiO2. This enhancement originated from the porous structure that promoted the homogeneous dispersion and enlarged the electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of Pt NPs (ECSA(CO) = 30.95 m(2) g(-1)). Thus, the hrGO@TiO2-rGO hybrid could be developed as a promising electrocatalyst support material in fuel cells. Copyright (C) 2015, Hydrogen Energy Publications, LLC. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.