Spectroelectrochemical Probing of the Strong Interaction
between Platinum Nanoparticles and Graphitic Domains of Carbon
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Abstract
This study focuses on clarifying
the strong interaction existing
between extended graphitic domains of ordered carbonaceous materials
such as multiwalled carbon nanotubes and platinum nanoparticles. This
interaction results from the heterogeneous nucleation of platinum
nanoparticles onto the carbon support. The metal clusters are chemically
synthesized by using the carbonyl route. Two different carbon supports
are used namely, homemade multiwalled carbon nanotubes, MWCNT-m, and
classical Vulcan XC-72. Physicochemical properties of these materials
are described by Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy
(XPS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The effect of the strong interaction
on the electronic properties of platinum nanoparticles is electrochemically
probed by means of CO stripping experiments coupled with <i>in
situ</i> Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). Density
functional theory (DFT) is used to evaluate changes to the electronic
structure of a platinum cluster interacting with a graphite substrate
and their effects on CO adsorption on the cluster. Results are correlated
with structural and electronic properties of platinum nanoparticles.
The stability of Pt/carbon catalysts under electrochemical potential
cycling is correlated with the properties of carbon substrates