Micelle-Assisted Strategy for the Direct Synthesis of Large-Sized Mesoporous Platinum Catalysts by Vapor Infiltration of a Reducing Agent

• Main Authors: Yunqi Li, Yuwei Liu, Yusuke Yamauchi, Yusuf Valentino Kaneti, Saad M. Alsheri, Tansir Ahamad, Norah Alhokbany, Jeonghun Kim, Katsuhiko Ariga, Ning Wu, Jun Xu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: MDPI AG 2018-10-01
• Series: Nanomaterials
• Subjects: mesoporous materials; catalysts; triblock copolymers; platinum; methanol electro-oxidation
• Online Access: http://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/8/10/841
• ISSN: 2079-4991

Stable polymeric micelles have been demonstrated to serve as suitable templates for creating mesoporous metals. Herein, we report the utilization of a core-shell-corona type triblock copolymer of poly(styrene-b-2-vinylpyridine-b-ethylene oxide) and H2PtCl6·H2O to synthesize large-sized mesoporous Pt particles. After formation of micelles with metal ions, the reduction process has been carried out by vapor infiltration of a reducing agent, 4-(Dimethylamino)benzaldehyde. Following the removal of the pore-directing agent under the optimized temperature, mesoporous Pt particles with an average pore size of 15 nm and surface area of 12.6 m2·g−1 are achieved. More importantly, the resulting mesoporous Pt particles exhibit superior electrocatalytic activity compared to commercially available Pt black.