Research On Graphane-based Electrocatalysts Of Direct Methanol Fuel Cells

Graphene, because of its2D(two dimensional) carbon structure, high crystallinity and electrical properties, has broad applications in the field of electro-catalysts, electrochemical sensors, super-capacitors, lithium-ion batteries, solar cells and other electrochemical application, and opens up new areas of research in materials science. Graphene becomes an ideal carbon support for the precious metal particles due to its large specific surface area,good conductivity and excellent chemical stability. It can improve the utilization of precious metals, and becomes an ideal material for the preparation of fuel cell catalysts.1. In order to improve the utilization of Pt and thus reduce the Pt loadings, we use a novel carbon nano-material graphene as the carbon support of Pt catalyst,and the effect of microwave-assisted heating on the catalytic activity of Pt/RGO catalyst was studied. FT-IR(Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy), TEM(Transmission electron microscope), SEM(Scanning electron microscope), XRD(X-ray diffraction) were used to characterize the structures of the products and its electrochemical catalytic activities. The results showed that the RGO supported catalyst Pt/RGO prepared by microwave-assisted heating has excellent catalytic activity.2. With the new carbon nano-materials graphene as the catalyst support, we prepared a series of transition metal macrocyclic compound catalyst Hemin/RGO with different heat-treatment temperatures and Fe loadings. TEM and XRD were used to characterize of the morphology of the products, with the temperature increasing, the numbers of metal clusters in Hemin/RGO increased,and the electrochemical tests showed that, Hemin/RGO-800-5had the best catalytic activity.