Investigation of Pt catalysts supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes with various diameters and lengths

Platinum electrocatalysts supported on multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with various diameters and lengths were studied by using transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) and Chronoamperometry. The results indicated that the MWCNTs with smaller diameter generated more amorphous carbon after a sonochemical oxidation treatment. Compared with the long MWCNTs, the short MWCNTs had more open ends, resulting in high-Pt dispersion and electrocatalytic activity towards methanol oxidation. Pt nanoparticles supported on short MWCNTs with a diameter of 30-50 nm exhibited the best Pt dispersion and highest methanol oxidation activity among the catalysts studied. The high activities of the catalysts based on short MWCNTs were due to both the intrinsic high activity of the ends of MWCNTs and a good Pt distribution