Polyethyleneimine-assisted synthesis of high-quality platinum/graphene hybrids: The effect of molecular weight on electrochemical properties

Xueqing Gao; Yumei Li; Qi Zhang; Shuni Li; Yu Chen; Jong Min Lee

doi:10.1039/c5ta02046h

Polyethyleneimine-assisted synthesis of high-quality platinum/graphene hybrids: The effect of molecular weight on electrochemical properties

Xueqing Gao, Yumei Li, Qi Zhang, Shuni Li, Yu Chen^*, Jong Min Lee

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

28 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Graphene-supported precious metal nanoparticle hybrids have received extensive attention in recent years because of the outstanding physical and chemical properties of graphene. In this work, we synthesize high-quality reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported monodispersed Pt nanocrystal (Pt/RGO) hybrids with the assistance of polyethyleneimine (PEI), in which PEI serves as a multi-functional molecule for the coordination with K₂PtCl₄, anchorage of Pt^II precursors on the graphene oxide surface, and chemical functionalization of Pt nanocrystals. Then, we investigate in detail the effect of the molecular weight of PEI on the electrocatalytic activity of the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Electrochemical measurements show that PEI with high molecular weight (Mw = 10000) between the two RGO sheets limits seriously the access of electrolytes to the Pt sites. In contrast, PEI with low molecular weight (Mw = 600) between the two RGO sheets allows electrolytes to access freely the Pt sites, and the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for the FAOR compared to the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst due to the ensemble effect.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	12000-12004
Number of pages	5
Journal	Journal of Materials Chemistry A
Volume	3
Issue number	22
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1039/c5ta02046h
Publication status	Published - Jun 14 2015
Externally published	Yes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© The Royal Society of Chemistry 2015.

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

General Chemistry
Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment
General Materials Science

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10.1039/c5ta02046h

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title = "Polyethyleneimine-assisted synthesis of high-quality platinum/graphene hybrids: The effect of molecular weight on electrochemical properties",

abstract = "Graphene-supported precious metal nanoparticle hybrids have received extensive attention in recent years because of the outstanding physical and chemical properties of graphene. In this work, we synthesize high-quality reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported monodispersed Pt nanocrystal (Pt/RGO) hybrids with the assistance of polyethyleneimine (PEI), in which PEI serves as a multi-functional molecule for the coordination with K2PtCl4, anchorage of PtII precursors on the graphene oxide surface, and chemical functionalization of Pt nanocrystals. Then, we investigate in detail the effect of the molecular weight of PEI on the electrocatalytic activity of the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Electrochemical measurements show that PEI with high molecular weight (Mw = 10000) between the two RGO sheets limits seriously the access of electrolytes to the Pt sites. In contrast, PEI with low molecular weight (Mw = 600) between the two RGO sheets allows electrolytes to access freely the Pt sites, and the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for the FAOR compared to the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst due to the ensemble effect.",

author = "Xueqing Gao and Yumei Li and Qi Zhang and Shuni Li and Yu Chen and Lee, {Jong Min}",

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AU - Gao, Xueqing

AU - Li, Yumei

AU - Zhang, Qi

AU - Li, Shuni

AU - Chen, Yu

AU - Lee, Jong Min

PY - 2015/6/14

Y1 - 2015/6/14

N2 - Graphene-supported precious metal nanoparticle hybrids have received extensive attention in recent years because of the outstanding physical and chemical properties of graphene. In this work, we synthesize high-quality reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported monodispersed Pt nanocrystal (Pt/RGO) hybrids with the assistance of polyethyleneimine (PEI), in which PEI serves as a multi-functional molecule for the coordination with K2PtCl4, anchorage of PtII precursors on the graphene oxide surface, and chemical functionalization of Pt nanocrystals. Then, we investigate in detail the effect of the molecular weight of PEI on the electrocatalytic activity of the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Electrochemical measurements show that PEI with high molecular weight (Mw = 10000) between the two RGO sheets limits seriously the access of electrolytes to the Pt sites. In contrast, PEI with low molecular weight (Mw = 600) between the two RGO sheets allows electrolytes to access freely the Pt sites, and the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for the FAOR compared to the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst due to the ensemble effect.

AB - Graphene-supported precious metal nanoparticle hybrids have received extensive attention in recent years because of the outstanding physical and chemical properties of graphene. In this work, we synthesize high-quality reduced graphene oxide (RGO) supported monodispersed Pt nanocrystal (Pt/RGO) hybrids with the assistance of polyethyleneimine (PEI), in which PEI serves as a multi-functional molecule for the coordination with K2PtCl4, anchorage of PtII precursors on the graphene oxide surface, and chemical functionalization of Pt nanocrystals. Then, we investigate in detail the effect of the molecular weight of PEI on the electrocatalytic activity of the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids for the formic acid oxidation reaction (FAOR). Electrochemical measurements show that PEI with high molecular weight (Mw = 10000) between the two RGO sheets limits seriously the access of electrolytes to the Pt sites. In contrast, PEI with low molecular weight (Mw = 600) between the two RGO sheets allows electrolytes to access freely the Pt sites, and the resultant Pt/RGO hybrids show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability for the FAOR compared to the commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst due to the ensemble effect.

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Polyethyleneimine-assisted synthesis of high-quality platinum/graphene hybrids: The effect of molecular weight on electrochemical properties

Abstract

Bibliographical note

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UN SDGs

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