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Synthesis of High‐Surface‐Area Platinum Nanotubes Using a Viral Template
Author(s) -
Górzny Marcin Ł.,
Walton Alex S.,
Evans Stephen D.
Publication year - 2010
Publication title -
advanced functional materials
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 6.069
H-Index - 322
eISSN - 1616-3028
pISSN - 1616-301X
DOI - 10.1002/adfm.200902196
Subject(s) - materials science , platinum , catalysis , methanol , nanoparticle , platinum nanoparticles , chemical engineering , tobacco mosaic virus , solvent , salt (chemistry) , nanotechnology , metal , inorganic chemistry , organic chemistry , virus , chemistry , metallurgy , virology , engineering , biology
A novel method for the synthesis of high‐active‐surface‐area, platinum–tobacco mosaic virus (Pt–TMV) nanotubes is presented. A platinum salt is reduced to its metallic form on the external surface of a rod‐shaped TMV by methanol, which serves as a solvent and reductant simultaneously. It was found that for the same Pt loading the Pt–TMV nanotubes had an electrochemically active surface area between 4 to 8 times larger than similarly sized Pt nanoparticles. A Pt–TMV catalyst displays greater stability in acidic conditions than those based on nanoparticles. When used as a catalyst for methanol oxidation, these Pt nanotubes display a 65% increase in catalytic mass activity compared to that based on Pt nanoparticles.