title: Mass-produced multi-walled carbon nanotubes as catalyst supports for direct methanol fuel cells.
abstract: Commercially mass-produced multi-walled carbon nanotubes, i.e., VGNF (Showa Denko Co.), were applied to support materials for platinum-ruthenium (PtRu) nanoparticles as anode catalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. The original VGNFs are composed of high-crystalline graphitic shells, which hinder the favorable surface deposition of the PtRu nanoparticles that are formed via borohydride reduction. The chemical treatment of VGNFs with potassium hydroxide (KOH), however, enables highly dispersed and dense deposition of PtRu nanoparticles on the VGNF surface. This capability becomes more remarkable depending on the KOH amount. The electrochemical evaluation of the PtRu-deposited VGNF catalysts showed enhanced active surface areas and methanol oxidation, due to the high dispersion and dense deposition of the PtRu nanoparticles. The improvement of the surface deposition states of the PtRu nanoparticles was significantly due to the high surface area and mesorporous surface structure of the KOH-activated VGNFs.
authors: Faculty of Engineering, Shinshu University, 4-17-1 Wakasato, Nagano 380-8553, Japan.
authors: In Young
authors: IY
authors: Jang
authors: Ki Chul
authors: KC
authors: Park
authors: Yong Chae
authors: YC
authors: Jung
authors: Sun Hyung
authors: SH
authors: Lee
authors: Sung Moo
authors: SM
authors: Song
authors: Hiroyuki
authors: H
authors: Muramatsu
authors: Yong Jung
authors: YJ
authors: Kim
authors: Morinobu
authors: M
authors: Endo