Enhanced electrochemical oxygen reduction reaction performance with Pt nanocluster catalysts supported on microporous graphene-like 3D carbon

Abstract

Here we report an efficient catalyst design strategy to develop high performance Pt-based electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Finely-dispersed Pt nanoclusters supported on microporous graphene-like 3D carbon (Pt/MGTC) having a Pt size of ca. 1.3 nm were synthesized by zeolite template-based carbon synthesis and subsequent Pt impregnation. The Pt/MGTC catalyst demonstrated about 2 times higher ORR activity than that of commercial Pt/C. In addition, the Pt/MGTC showed relatively stable ORR performance, maintaining an activity higher than that of Pt/C. This performance enhancement of electrocatalytic ORR on Pt/MGTC was attributed to the significant increase of Pt active sites and the efficient charge transport in Pt/MGTC. © 2019 Elsevier B.V