The Modification of Pt/Graphene Composites with Oxophilic Metal Bi (Bi2O3) and Its Dual-Functional Electro-Photo Catalytic Performance

• Main Authors: Yingli Wu, Xiuyun Duan, Zhongshui Li, Shuhong Xu, Yixin Xie, Yufei Lai, Shen Lin
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
• Series: Catalysts
• Subjects: Pt-Bi bimetal; electro-photo catalysis; methanol oxidation; oxygen reduction; alkaline medium
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2073-4344/8/10/465

The Pt-Bi (Bi2O3)/GNs (PVP) composite was synthesized using aqueous solution synthesis and characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), inductively coupled plasma-atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP-AES) and Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the water-soluble polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) helped to tune the particles’ morphology, resulting in a uniform distribution of Pt-Bi nanoclusters on the surface of graphene. Cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry and linear scanning voltammetry (LSV) were used to study the electrocatalytic properties towards a methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) and an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). The results show that Pt-Bi (Bi2O3)/GNs (PVP) exhibits superior bifunctional electrocatalytic properties for both MOR and ORR, mainly due to the introduction of oxophilic Bi species and the better dispersion of the Pt-Bi nanoclusters. In particular, the electro-photo catalysis for both MOR and ORR occurred under simulated sunlight irradiation due to the existence of photo-responsive Bi species, which is helpful for converting solar energy into electric energy during a traditional electrocatalytic process.