Preparation of Pt/multiwalled carbon nanotubes modified Au electrodes via Pt–Cu co-electrodeposition/Cu stripping protocol for high-performance electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol

Pt nanoparticles well dispersed on multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared for high-performance electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol in both acidic and alkaline media via the co-electrodeposition/stripping (CS) protocol, namely, co-electrodeposition of Pt and Cu followed by electrochemical stripping of Cu, as examined by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The Pt catalyst prepared by the CS protocol on MWCNTs (Ptcs/MWCNTs/Au) exhibited a specific electrocatalytic activity of 519 and 2210 A g−1 toward cyclic voltammetric electrooxidation (50 mV s−1) of methanol in 0.5 M CH3OH + 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M CH3OH + 1.0 M NaOH media, respectively, which are larger than those prepared by conventional electrodeposition from chloroplatinic acid on Au and MWCNTs/Au, as well as that by a CS protocol on Au. The Ptcs/MWCNTs/Au electrode also possessed the highest stability, which maintained 91% and 90% of its initial catalytic activity after 120-cycle CV in 0.5 M CH3OH + 0.5 M H2SO4 and 0.5 M CH3OH + 1.0 M NaOH, respectively. The electrode kinetics of methanol oxidation is also briefly discussed. The nanosubstrate-based CS protocol is simple, convenient and efficient, which is expected to find wide applications in film electrochemistry and electrocatalysis.