Facile synthesis of SnO₂-Pt/carbon nanotubes nanocatalyst with high electrocatalytic performance for methanol oxidation

Abstract

A green, low-cost and facile strategy for synthesis of SnO₂-Pt/carbon nanotubes nanocomposites with SnO₂-around-Pt structure by <i style="">in situ</i> spontaneous reduction of PtCl₆^2- with Sn²⁺ on the CNT surface is reported. The morphology and structure of the prepared SnO₂-Pt/CNTs nanocatalyst are characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction. In addition, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy and inductively coupled plasma-atom emission spectroscopy results prove the presence of Pt and SnO₂ nanoparticles on CNTs surface with the molar ratio of Pt:SnO₂ in SnO₂-Pt/CNTs as 0.48. In comparison with the commercial Pt/C, SnO₂-Pt/CNTs nanocatalyst exhibits higher electrocatalytic mass activity and better long-term cycle stability for methanol oxidation.