Highly durable Pt nanoparticle-supported carbon catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction tailored by using an ionic liquid thin layer

• Published in: Journal of materials chemistry. A, Materials for energy and sustainability Materials for energy and sustainability, 2016, Vol.4 (31), p.12152-12157
• Main Authors: Yoshii, Kazuki, Yamaji, Keisuke, Tsuda, Tetsuya, Matsumoto, Hiroaki, Sato, Takeshi, Izumi, Reiko, Torimoto, Tsukasa, Kuwabata, Susumu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Carbon; Catalysis; Catalysts; Durability; Ionic liquids; Nanostructure; Platinum; Reduction
• ISSN: 2050-7488; 2050-7496
• DOI: 10.1039/c6ta04859e

Pt nanoparticles monodispersed in an ionic liquid (IL), which can be readily prepared by magnetron sputtering onto an IL, are a key material for tailoring highly durable Pt nanoparticle-supported carbon electrocatalysts, e.g. , Pt nanoparticle-supported single-walled carbon nanotubes (Pt-SWCNTs) and Vulcan® XC-72 (Pt-Vulcan®), for the electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction. The durability largely surpasses that of one of the commercially available Vulcan® XC-72-based catalysts, TEC10V30E. The differences were very obvious from the results of electrochemical measurements, ex situ TEM observation, and in situ SEM/STEM observation; that is, considerable damage by carbon corrosion was recognized for the TEC10V30E, but it was not the case for the Pt-SWCNT and Pt-Vulcan®. The unexpected high durability should be due to the suppression of carbon corrosion by the ionic liquid thin layer that exists between the Pt nanoparticles and carbon support. Pt nanoparticle (NP)-supported SWCNTs and Vulcan® XC-72 produced using a Pt NP-dispersed IL prepared by sputtering show an unexpected high durability as electrode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction due to the existence of an IL thin layer.