Platinum/nitrogen-doped carbon nanoparticles synthesized in nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots aqueous solution for methanol electro-oxidation

Abstract Platinum-based catalysts are a key to develop direct methanol fuel cells, which are usually dispersed on carbon supports to enhance catalytic activity, stability and utilization. Here, platinum/nitrogen-doped carbon (Pt/N-C) nanoparticles are synthesized in nitrogen-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) aqueous solution, and catalytic performance of Pt/N-C catalysts is researched for methanol electro-oxidation. Compared with Pt catalysts supported on commercial carbon black Vulcan XC-72 (Pt/XC-72), the peak current densities of Pt/N-C catalysts are 0.59 mA cm −2 Pt and 385.2 A g −1 Pt in 0.5 M CH 3 OH and 0.5 M H 2 SO 4 , while those of Pt/XC-72 catalysts are 0.39 mA cm −2 Pt and 64.8 A g −1 Pt. After polarizing 7200 s at a fixed potential of 0.15 V (vs. Hg/Hg 2 SO 4 ), the catalytic activities of Pt/N-C are 0.14 mA cm −2 Pt and 86.5 A g −1 Pt, and those of Pt/XC-72 are 0.02 mA cm −2 Pt and 2.6 A g −1 Pt.