Catalytic synergistic effects between Pt nanocrystals and elementary graphite oxides: A new insight detected by Langmuir-Blodgett technique

• Published in: Colloids and surfaces. A, Physicochemical and engineering aspects Physicochemical and engineering aspects, 2020-01, Vol.585, p.124145, Article 124145
• Main Authors: Ning, Weikun, Wang, Ziyan, Xue, Yuli, Wang, Xuelian, Li, Wenqing, Zhang, Yan, Zhang, Peiping, Miao, Shiding
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Dendritic Pt nanocrystal; Electro-catalytic performance; Graphite oxide; Langmuir-Blodgett technique; Synergistic effect
• ISSN: 0927-7757; 1873-4359
• DOI: 10.1016/j.colsurfa.2019.124145

The synergistic effects between the dendritic Pt catalysts and the graphene oxide substrates have been experimentally testified by means of surface chemistry (Langmuir-Blodgett technique) and electrochemistry (methanol electro-oxidation) in this study. [Display omitted] Synergistic effects were usually proposed in many researches especially in the field of heterogeneous catalysis, however few means was provided to give facile experimental evidences. In this work the catalytic synergistic effects between flower shaped Pt nanoclusters (fPtNCs) and graphite oxides (GO) have been experimentally demonstrated by means of Langmuir-Blodgett technique and electrochemistry. The fPtNCs of dendritic structure were synthesized via an ethanol-thermal route, and were assembled on elementary GO sheets via the LB method. The prepared fPtNCs/GO films were found to show superior performances towards the electro-oxidation of methanol. The synergistic effects between GO and fPtNCs were revealed as (1) a large number of surface Pt atoms in the fPtNCs providing abundant catalytic centers; (2) the specific configuration of fPtNCs coupled with π-π electrons benefiting charge transfers; (3) the lattice oxygen groups in the GO being found to improve catalytic performances; and (4) the wavy channels found in the multiple layered GO sheets accelerating the electro-catalysis. The active sites were confirmed to stem mainly from the first layer of GO coupled with fPtNCs.