Facile transformation of nanofibrillar polymer aerogel to carbon nanorods catalyzed by platinum nanoparticles

Abstract

A facile and large-volume production route was developed for synthesizing well-developed carbon nanorods containing highly loaded platinum (Pt) nanoparticles through platinum-catalyzed pyrolysis of a nanofibrillar polymer aerogel. Containing a high electron-rich oxygen density in the polymer molecules, the micro-sized cellulose diacetate (CDA) fibrils were separated into nano-sized fibrils (20–50 nm in diameter) to give a three-dimensionally connected nanofibrillar structure. Using this CDA aerogel structure as an effective nanoreactor, the platinum nanoparticles were in-situ synthesized as anchored on the selective sites of the CDA nanofibril surface in the form of crumpled sheet in the size of 10–30 nm (10.9 wt%). After pyrolysis at 600 °C, the CDA/Pt nanofibrils were converted into Pt-carbon nanorods (150 to 200 nm diameter and 1 to 3 μm length) via the coalescence of the CDA nanofibrils and the subsequent Pt-catalyzed decomposition reaction. A high loading content of Pt was achieved at 56 wt% and the Pt-carbon nanorods exhibited mesoporous characteristics in the N₂ desorption isotherm with a BET surface area of 311 m² g⁻¹.