Excellent electrocatalytic performance of Pt nanoparticles on reduced graphene oxide nanosheets prepared by a direct redox reaction between Na2PtCl4 and graphene oxide

A simple and environment-friendly method was used to prepare Pt/reduced graphene oxide (Pt/RGO) hybrids. This approach used a redox reaction between Na2PtCl4 and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets and a subsequent thermal reduction of the material at 200 C for 24 h in a vacuum oven. In contrast to other methods that use an additional reductant to prepare Pt nanoparticles, the Pt2+ was directly reduced to Pt-0 in the GO solution. GO was used as the reducing agent, the stabilizing agent and the carrier. The resulting Pt/RGO hybrid was characterized by X-ray diffraction, thermo-gravimetric analysis, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. Electrochemical measurements showed that the Pt/RGO hybrids exhibit good activity as catalysts for the electro-oxidation of methanol and ethanol in acid media. Interestingly, the Pt/RGO hybrids showed better electrocatalytic activity and stability for the oxidation of methanol than Pt/C and Pt/RGO hybrids made from other Pt precursors. This indicates that the Pt/RGO hybrids should have great potential applications in direct methanol and ethanol fuel cells. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.