One-pot, low-temperature synthesis of branched platinum nanowires/reduced graphene oxide (BPtNW/RGO) hybrids for fuel cells

Abstract

A facile wet-chemical approach for the synthesis of branched platinum nanowires (BPtNW) on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) was demonstrated. Formic acid (HCOOH) was used as the reductant for preparing BPtNW and synchronously reducing graphene oxide (GO) under the catalysis of the as-prepared BPtNW. The whole synthetic procedure was carried out easily in one pot under room temperature. The length and diameter of the Pt nanowires anchored on the RGO sheets are about 5–20 nm and 3–4 nm, respectively. GO is deoxygenated and restored to the structure of graphene successfully by the reduction of HCOOH with BPtNW as the catalyst. The BPtNW/RGO hybrids exhibit higher electrocatalytic activity and stability towards the methanol oxidation reaction than commercial Pt/C catalysts (Hispec4000). The specific methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) activity of the BPtNW/RGO hybrids was 1.154 mA cm⁻² at 0.700 V, which was a nearly 3.94 times higher specific activity than that of Pt/C (Hispec4000), showing their great potential applications in fuel cells.