Nitrogen functionalized carbon black: A support for Pt nanoparticle catalysts with narrow size dispersion and high surface area

Abstract

A B S T R A C TAmorphous carbon is widely used as a support for Pt nanoparticle catalysts. We show here that catalytic performance can be greatly improved by functionalizing the carbon support with a nitrogen-containing molecule, in conjunction with a new method for the in situ synthesis of nanocrystalline Pt. Vulcan â carbon black is covalently functionalized with 4-aminomethylpyridine (4AMP) via formation of an acid chloride on the surface followed by amidation. The resulting 4AMP-functionalized Vulcan â (4AMP-VC) was thoroughly characterized and shown to contain N at the surface of the Vulcan â carbon support. Pt nanoparticles grown on the 4AMP-VC have a smaller average size and much narrower size distribution than Pt nanoparticles grown on bare Vulcan â (VC). In addition, the Pt/4AMP-VC catalysts show higher catalytic activity and are more durable than their Pt/VC counterparts. We infer through careful analysis of X-ray photoelectron spectra that the Pt nanoparticles bind preferentially to the pyridinic nitrogen of the 4AMP.

Ag@CoxP Core–Shell Heterogeneous Nanoparticles as Efficient Oxygen Evolution Reaction Catalysts

“…Furthermore, the binding energy is significantly shifted in comparison with the signature of Ag@Co x P, Ag, and Co 2 P. Due to the formation of core–shell Ag@Co x P, the binding energy of Ag 3d decreases, whereas the binding energy of Co 2p increases relative to that of the Co 2 P nanoparticles. These shifts confirm the significant electronic interaction between Co and Ag, resulting in electron-density migration (to some degree) from Co to Ag (Figure d). , This interaction might facilitate the formation of high-valent Co IV species due to the proton-coupled conversion of Co III –OH to Co IV –O during the OER, prior to oxygen evolution …”

Energy Production and Storage Promoted by Organometallic Complexes

“…In 2017 Rodriguez‐Valera et al applied a different strategy to functionalize carbon black Vulcan XC‐72 by adding the Ru‐dim complex [(η 6 ‐C 6 H 5 OCH 2 OH)RuCl 2 ] 2 in addition to Pt nanoparticles in order to make a conductive support which shows an enhanced catalytic activity with respect to conventional nanosized Pt/C catalyst for methanol electrooxidation . Despite the fact that several strategies were proposed in the literature to modify carbon supports for enhancing the activity of the catalytic species, Rodriguez‐Valera and co‐workers are the first that employed an organometallic compound …”

Printing nanostructured carbon for energy storage and conversion applications

“…Nitrogen-doped carbon black and mesoporous carbon has already been demonstrated for fuel cell applications, where it exhibited similar oxygen reduction performance compared to in its undoped state [127,[135][136][137]. While there are myriad other carbon nanomaterials, studies of their suitability for printing has not yet been carried out.…”