Nanohole‐structured single‐crystalline Pt nanosheets have been synthesized by the borohydride reduction of Na2PtCl6 confined to the lyotropic liquid crystals (LLCs) of polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monooleate (Tween 80) with or without nonaethylene‐glycol (C12EO9). The Pt nanosheets of around 4–10 nm in central thickness and up to 500 nm or above in diameter have a number of hexagonal‐shaped nanoholes ∼1.8 nm wide. High‐resolution electron microscope images of the nanosheets showed atomic fringes with a spacing of 0.22 nm indicating that the nanosheets are crystallographically continuous through the nanoholed and non‐holed areas. The inner‐angle distributions for the hexagonal nanoholes indicate that the six sides of the nanoholes are walled with each two Pt (111), Pt (1${\bar {1}}$1) and Pt (010) planes. The formation mechanism of nanoholed Pt nanosheets is discussed on the basis of structural and compositional data for the resulting solids and their precursory LLCs, with the aid of similar nanohole growth observed for a Tween 80 free but oleic acid‐incorporated system. It is also demonstrated that the nanoholed Pt nanostructures loaded on carbon exhibit fairly high electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction and a high performance as a cathode material for polymer‐electrolyte fuel cells, along with their extremely high thermostability revealed through the effect of electron‐irradiation.
Platinum/carbon (Pt/C) composite materials were prepared by the hydrazine reduction of H2PtCl6 confined to a mixed surfactant lytropic liquid crystal (LC)/C mixture with varying amounts of water. The reaction at relatively low water contents successfully yielded cross-linked Pt nanowires with wire-widths of 2-5 nm. The novel Pt nanostructure is believed to be from poorly hydrated hexagonal domains formed together with layered domains by the phase separation of the precursory LC mixture in the presence of carbon. Electrochemical measurements using cyclic volutammetry and membrane electrode assemblies revealed that the cross-linked nanowired Pt/C composite exhibits fairly high electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction, as well as a high performance as the cathode material for polymer electrolyte fuel cells.
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