Pt nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide nanohybrid for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

Abstract

A platinum nanoparticle-reduced graphene oxide (Pt-RGO) nanohybrid for proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) application was successfully prepared. The Pt nanoparticles (Pt NPs) were deposited onto chemically converted graphene nanosheets via ethylene glycol (EG) reduction. According to the powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) pattern and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, the face-centered cubic Pt NPs (3-5 nm in diameter) were homogeneously dispersed on the RGO nanosheets. The electrochemically active surface area and PEMFC power density of the Pt-RGO nanohybrid were determined to be 33.26 m 2 /g and 480 mW/cm 2 (maximum values), respectively, at 75 ° C and at a relative humidity (RH) of 100% in a single-cell test experiment. © 2012 American Scientific Publishers.