Fabrication of High-Activity Hybrid Pt@ZnO Catalyst on Carbon Cloth by Atomic Layer Deposition for Photoassisted Electro-Oxidation of Methanol

Abstract

ZnO nanorods with a diameter of 25 nm have been synthesized on carbon cloth (CC) by combining atomic layer deposition (ALD) and hydrothermal methods. Platinum nanoparticles were then deposited on photoinduced hydrophilic surface of ZnO nanorods by ALD. Electrochemical performance of the nanocomposite catalyst (Pt@ZnO@CC) for methanol oxidation with or without UV irradiation was evaluated. According to the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic (XPS) analysis, the surface of ZnO nanorods rich in hydroxide species was more favorable for removal of CO via the so-called bifunctional mechanism. Additionally, the XPS study indicates that the charge transfer occurs between the ZnO nanorods and the Pt nanoparticles. UV light irradiation on the catalyst surface increases the chronoamperometric response by 62%, which is attributed to a synergistic effect of large surface area and strong light absorption in the UV region by the presence of ZnO nanorod arrays