Microwave-assisted fast fabrication of a nanosized Pt3Co alloy on reduced graphene oxides

Abstract Ultrafine and homogenously dispersed Pt 3 Co alloy nanoparticles were fabricated on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in a few minutes under microwave irradiation. Characterization results confirmed that microwave irradiation was important for higher metal utilization, the easy control of alloy composition, improved dispersion of the Pt 3 Co particles and minimizing the re-graphitization of the parent RGO by comparison with conventional solvent-thermal and impregnation methods. This Pt 3 Co/RGO-MW catalyst was extremely active and selective during the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to cinnamyl alcohol. The calculated specific activity of each Pt atom in the Pt 3 Co/RGO-MW at 70 °C was 23.8 min −1 .