Preparation of Pt/CNT Catalyst with High Dispersion Structure via Plasma Jet

Abstract

A plasma jet method based on free arc was carried out to disperse carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in gas phase and produce Pt nanoparticles (Pt-NPs) on them at the same time. The plasma jet is generated through the discharge between the cathode composed of CNTs, PtCl4 and ID water and the anode with a hole. Plasma jet prepares the Pt/CNT catalyst by directly spraying. The CNT carrier in the catalyst have good dispersion by SEM images. The mean size of Pt-NPs estimated by TEM images is 3.41nm with the plasma jet method and about 4.77nm with the commercial Pt/C respectively. It was showed that the bulk of Pt-NPs produced by plasma jet is in metal state in the analysis of XPS measurements. Compared with Pt/C, Pt/CNT have roughly equal catalytic activity and higher durability by cyclic voltammetry measurements. On the basis of these properties, the plasma jet method greatly simplifies the preparation process of the catalyst by simultaneously solving carrier dispersion and metal particle preparation.