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Synthesis of platinum and platinum–ruthenium-modified diamond nanoparticles

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Abstract

With the aim of developing dimensionally stable-supported catalysts for direct methanol fuel cell application, Pt and Pt–Ru catalyst nanoparticles were deposited onto undoped and boron-doped diamond nanoparticles (BDDNPs) through a chemical reduction route using sodium borohydride as a reducing agent. As-received commercial diamond nanoparticles (DNPs) were purified by refluxing in aqueous nitric acid solution. Prompt gamma neutron activation analysis and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques were employed to characterize the as-received and purified DNPs. The purified diamond nanoparticulates, as well as the supported Pt and Pt–Ru catalyst systems, were subjected to various physicochemical characterizations, such as scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive analysis, TEM, X-ray diffraction, inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. Physicochemical characterization showed that the sizes of Pt and Pt–Ru particles were only a few nanometers (2–5 nm), and they were homogeneously dispersed on the diamond surface (5–10 nm). The chemical reduction method offers a simple route to prepare the well-dispersed Pt and Pt–Ru catalyst nanoparticulates on undoped and BDDNPs for their possible employment as an advanced electrode material in direct methanol fuel cells.

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Acknowledgments

This research was supported in part by the NASA-URC Grant No. NNX08BA48A, NSF-EPSCoR, the Institute for Functional Nanomaterials Grant No. OIA-0701525, and the NSF NSEC Center for Hierarchical Manufacturing Grant No. CHM – CMMI – 0531171. We also acknowledge the support received from the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR-TEM) at Cornell University. Editing of the manuscript done by Dr. D. A. Tryk and Dr. M. A. Scibioh is gratefully acknowledged.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Center for Advanced Nanoscale Materials, Department of Chemistry, University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, PO Box 70377, San Juan, PR, 00936-8377, USA

    Lyda La-Torre-Riveros, Emely Abel-Tatis, Donald A. Tryk & Carlos R. Cabrera

  2. Nuclear Science and Engineering Institute, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO, 65211, USA

    Adrián E. Méndez-Torres & Mark Prelas

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  1. Lyda La-Torre-Riveros
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  2. Emely Abel-Tatis
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  3. Adrián E. Méndez-Torres
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  4. Donald A. Tryk
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  5. Mark Prelas
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  6. Carlos R. Cabrera
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Correspondence to Carlos R. Cabrera.

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La-Torre-Riveros, L., Abel-Tatis, E., Méndez-Torres, A.E. et al. Synthesis of platinum and platinum–ruthenium-modified diamond nanoparticles. J Nanopart Res 13, 2997–3009 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-0196-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11051-010-0196-8

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