Facile synthesis of Pt/TiO2 nanotube arrays: A reusable platform for direct methanol fuel cell
Uniform Pt nanoparticles (diameter ∼5 nm) are decorated on the TiO2 nanotube arrays (TiNT) by a two-step photo irradiation method. The resulting hybrid nanotube arrays show an excellent catalytic activity for methanol electrooxidation. The anodic current density of methanol electrooxidation reaches 21 mA/cm2 with 1 mg Pt loading (previous methods typically reach ∼10 mA/cm2). The photocatalytic properties of TiO2 make the Pt/TiNT arrays reusable after a short UV treatment, and the electrooxidation current density of Pt/TiNT after UV-cleaning can almost fully be re-established.