Web Release Date: November 14,
Template Synthesis of Mesoporous Carbon Microfibers as a Catalyst Support for Methanol Electrooxidation
and
Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, National University of Singapore, 4 Engineering Drive 4, Singapore 117576, Department of Chemistry, University of Liverpool, Crown Street, Liverpool, L69 3BX, United Kingdom, Research Institute of Tsinghua University in Shenzhen, Shenzhen High-Tech Industrial Park, Shenzhen, China 518057, and Institute of Multifunctional Materials (IMM), Laboratory for New Fiber Materials and Modern Textile, Growing Base for State Key Laboratory, Qingdao University, Qingdao 266071, People's Republic of China
Received for review June 6, 2007
Revised manuscript received September 25, 2007
Accepted September 30, 2007
Abstract:
Mesoporous carbon microfibers (MCMFs) were prepared using one-dimensional alumina microfibers as the templates via chemical vapor deposition method. Physical adsorption of nitrogen, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, field-emission transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, and field-emission scanning electron microscopy techniques were used to study the structure and morphology of the samples. MCMFs possess a core/shell structure with a surface area of 409 m2/g. The core structure of the obtained MCMFs was composed of mesopores with a pore size of 8.8 nm, whereas the dense shell with a thickness of around 15-20 nm was built up with roughly parallel discrete graphene layers. Compared with Pt catalyst supported on Vulcan XC-72, catalyst supported on MCMFs displayed a better CO tolerance and catalytic activity in electrooxidation of methanol at room temperature.
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