Solid polyelectrolyte (SPE) membranes containing a textured platinum catalyst

Perfluorinated cation-exchange flat-sheet membranes were treated with cetyltrimethylammonium bromide surfactant (CH3(CH2)15N(CH3)3Br) to investigate the effect of the membranes modification with the surfactant on the morphology of deposition of a Pt catalyst. The electroless chemical deposition of a platinum catalyst onto the membranes treated with the surfactant was achieved by the Takenaka–Torikai method. The effect of the membranes modification on their electrical conductivity was studied. The morphology of the platinum micro-particles deposited onto the membranes modified with the surfactant was investigated by means of atomic force microscopy (AFM).