title: Directly-grown and square-patterned arrays of metal oxide nanowires for high-performance catalyst support platforms.
abstract: This research reports novel and efficient electrocatalyst support systems. Tin dioxide nanowires grown directly on current collecting substances are introduced as high-performance support platforms. For this propose, palladium or platinum catalysts are impregnated on these nanowire scaffolds and exhibit improved electrocatalytic performance for methanol oxidation in alkaline and acidic environments. These nanowire support platforms could be demonstrated to maximize the electrocatalytic activity because of the effective charge transport provided by the direct connection between the nanowire supports and current collectors. More significantly, grid-patterned nanowire arrays grown directly on current collectors are, for the first time, demonstrated as a milestone to enhance the electrocatalytic performance. The empty space between the patterned nanowire arrays acts as a channel to facilitate the electrolyte diffusion. The metal catalysts incorporated into the patterned nanowire supports show an 8-fold improvement in the catalytic performance for methanol electrooxidation, most likely because of the synergetic effects of the enhanced charge transport and mass transfer attributed to the structural advantages of the patterned nanowire array supports.
authors.affiliation: School of Materials Science and Engineering and Research Institute for Solar and Sustainable Energies, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology (GIST) , Gwangju 500-712, Republic of Korea.
authors.forename: Sang Ho
authors.initials: SH
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Eun Ja
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.forename: Yong-Ryun
authors.initials: YR
authors.lastname: Jo
authors.forename: Bong-Joong
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Won Bae
authors.initials: WB
authors.lastname: Kim
keywords: Pd or Pt catalysts; directly grown and patterned SnO2 nanowire supports; enhanced mass transfer; improved charge transport; methanol oxidation