Effects of carbon sources and carbonized carbon contents during carbon riveting process on the stability of Pt/C catalyst

Effects of different carbon sources and carbonized carbon contents during carbon riveting process (CRP) on the stability of Pt/C catalysts have been systematically studied. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cyclic voltammograms (CV), and accelerated potential cycling tests (APCT) have been carried out to characterize the catalysts. Experimental results show that the carbon riveted Pt/C catalysts treated by different carbon sources have different stability due to different properties of Pt and carbon after the CRP. The best carbon source for the carbon riveted Pt/C catalysts is glucose and is ascribed to the most content of Pt (0) and sp3-C after the CRP. APCT results indicate that the stability of Pt/C catalysts carbon-riveted by glucose exhibits the increasing trend with the increase of carbonized carbon contents because of increasing anchor effect to Pt nanoparticles. However, a larger carbon content from the carbonization of glucose can also reduce the electrochemically active specific surface areas (ESA) of the carbon riveted Pt/C catalyst by covering the active sites of Pt nanoparticles. Taking into account both activity and stability of the carbon riveted Pt/C catalysts, 6% carbon from the carbonization of glucose is the optimized content.