Fabrication of electrodes by deposition of lead clusters from the Matrix Assembly Cluster Source (MACS) into porous carbon paper for electrocatalysis

Abstract

The scaling up of the intensity of beams of atomic clusters (nanoparticle beams) creates a new route to the fabrication of functional nanostructured materials. A challenge is to present, to the directed beam, high surface areas of the desired support material, for decoration by the clusters at local sub-monolayer densities. Then, the clusters and their properties can be preserved. Here we employ the Matrix Assembly Cluster Source (MACS) to demonstrate and characterise the deposition of lead clusters, with size of order 2 nm, into planar sheets of porous carbon paper, a material employed in electrode fabrication. We find that clusters are deposited to a depth comparable with the pore size of the carbon, ~ 50 μm, giving rise to a metal loading of ~ 0.05 mg cm−2 of carbon paper. The functionality of the nanocomposite film so created is demonstrated by its use as an electrode for the electrochemical generation of oxidising species suitable for water purification.