Improving the electrical catalytic activity of Pt/TiO₂ nanocomposites by a combination of electrospinning and microwave irradiation

摘要

One of the greatest challenges in preparing TiO₂-based oxygen electrodes for PEM fuel cells is increasing the electrical catalytic activity of Pt nanoparticle/TiO₂ composites by improving the dispersion of Pt. This article describes a new way for improving the dispersion of Pt nanoparticles by depositing them on TiO₂ fibers and using microwave irradiation. The Pt nanoparticles used in this experiment is about 5 nm in diameter and the diameter of TiO₂ fibers could be controlled ranging from 30 to 60 nm and Pt nanoparticles still keep their size when the deposition amount is increased on the surface of TiO₂ fibers. The Pt nanoparticles were highly dispersed without agglomeration even at a weight percentage of composites as high as 40%. The position of Pt nanoparticles located in the fiber and the composition of Pt/TiO₂, which had great influence on the electric conductivity and electrical catalytic activity of the composite, could be easily controlled.