We present a novel and facile synthetic method for fabricating graphitic carbon nanostructures (GCNs) from sawdust. This method is based on the use of catalysts (Fe or Ni) that allows the direct conversion of sawdust into highly graphitized carbon material. The following procedure was used to obtain these graphitic nanoparticles: a) impregnation of the sawdust particles with iron or nickel salts, b) carbonization of the impregnated material at a temperature of 900 or 1000ºC, c) selective removal of the non-graphitized carbon (amorphous carbon) by an oxidant (KMnO 4 ). The resulting carbon is made up of nanosized graphitic structures (i.e. nanocapsules, nanocoils, nanoribbons), which have a high crystallinity, as evidenced by TEM/SAED, XRD and Raman analysis. These GCNs were used as supports for platinum nanoparticles. Such prepared electrocatalysts show an electrocatalytical surface area close to 90 m 2 .g -1 Pt and they present very promising results for methanol electrooxidation.

An easy method is described for fabricating graphitic carbon nanostructures (GCNs)

No abstract

Highly graphitic carbon nanocoils (GCNC) were synthesized through the catalytic graphitization of carbon microspheres obtained by the hydrothermal carbonization of different saccharides (sucrose, glucose and starch) and were used as a support for Pt nanoparticles. The Pt nanoparticles were deposited by means of a polymer mediatedpolyol method. The Pt catalysts were characterized both physically (XRD, TEM, HRTEM and XPS) and electrochemically (electrooxidation of methanol in an acid medium). The electrocatalysts thus prepared show a high dispersion of Pt nanoparticles, with diameters in the 3.0-3.3 nm range and a very narrow particle size distribution.These catalytic systems possess high electroactive Pt surface areas (up to 85 m 2 ·g -1 Pt) and they exhibit large catalytic activities towards methanol electrooxidation (up to 201 A·g -1 Pt). Moreover, they have a high resistance against oxidation, which is considerably greater than that of the Pt/Vulcan system.