In this study, the in-situ functionalization of gold nanoparticles onto carbon nanotubes was compared. The gold nanoparticle multi-walled carbon nanotube composites (AuMWCNT) were pretreated by two methods, one using sonication and the other incipient wetness impregnation (IWI). The produced composites were characterized using Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM), and Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Catalytic activity of the composites with hydrogen feedstock materials was also tested, finding the stirred pretreatment most effective evolving hydrogen gas at a rate of 0.333 L mol−1 min−1.

In this study, gold nanoparticles functionalized carbon nanotubes (AuMWCNT) were produced by two methods, one using sonication to mix the precursor materials, and the other mechanical stirring. The produced AuMWCNT composites were then compared using energy dispersive spectroscopy EDS for elemental analyses. The composites were also compared for catalytic activity in a hydrogen evolution reaction.