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Ag/g-C3N4 nanosheets as a progressive support of Pt catalyst for improved electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol

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Abstract

In consideration of the increased activity of Pt-based catalysts for methanol oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells, it is necessary to apply an ideal support in the construction of Pt-based catalyst for methanol oxidation. In this study, Ag/g-C3N4 nanosheets (Ag/GCNN) nanocomposites with different Ag contents were synthesized and used as the progressive support to construct Pt/Ag/GCNN catalyst. As a nitrogen-rich polymeric semiconductor, GCNN is easily coordinated with various metals. The introduction of Ag nanoparticles can improve the electrical conductivity of the catalyst and cooperate with Pt for optimizing the performance of electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. The electrochemical experiment results demonstrated that Pt/Ag/GCNN has higher electrocatalytic activity and stability for methanol oxidation than Pt/GC and Pt/GCNN. The mass activity of Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.6 (18.66 mA mgPt−1) is 7.07, 4.60 and 1.26 times that of Pt/GCNN (4.06 mA mgPt−1), Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.4 (4.06 mA mgPt−1) and Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.8 (14.76 mA mgPt−1) at the forward peak potential. The Jf/Jb ratio of Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.6 is 3.31, which is bigger than that of Pt/GCCN (2.62), Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.4 (2.69), and Pt/Ag/GCNN-0.8 (2.56). A suitable mechanism was proposed to explain that Ag/GCNN supported Pt catalyst can improve the CO toxicity resistance and electrocatalytic performance. Based on the coordination of GCNN, Ag was first modified to form a support, and then the remaining coordination sites were used to support Pt. It provided a new strategy for the design of catalysts for methanol electrooxidation.

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Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by financially supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (22272070; 22066017), Science and Technology Project of Huzhou (2023GZ59), Zhejiang Province Natural Science Foundation of China (LY24E020007), Natural Science Foundation of Jiangxi Province (20224BAB214023; 20232BAB204010), National College Students Innovation entrepreneurship training Program (202313287012) and Huzhou College (RK65011).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Huzhou Key Laboratory of Green Energy Materials and Battery Cascade Utilization, School of Intelligent Manufacturing, Huzhou College, Huzhou, 313000, China

    Man Xu, Yongping Luo, Shunjian Xu, Yike Liu, Yongya Wang & Xianchang Li

  2. Xinyu Institute of New Energy, Xinyu University, Xinyu, 338004, China

    Linsheng Zeng & Ping Huang

  3. College of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Nanchang Hangkong University, Nanchang, 330063, China

    Yu xie

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  1. Man Xu
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Contributions

MX contributed to Methodology. YL contributed to conceptualization, writing-original and revised draft, funding acquisition. LZ contributed to formal analysis. PH contributed to funding acquisition. SX contributed to visualization, writing–review & editing, funding acquisition. YL contributed to writing-review & editing. YW contributed to investigation. XL contributed to data curation. YX contributred to resources, funding acquisition.

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Correspondence to Yongping Luo.

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Xu, M., Luo, Y., Zeng, L. et al. Ag/g-C3N4 nanosheets as a progressive support of Pt catalyst for improved electrocatalytic oxidation of methanol. J Mater Sci 59, 3573–3584 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-024-09469-9

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