Designed nanostructured Pt film for electrocatalytic activities by underpotential deposition combined chemical replacement techniques

Multiple-deposited Pt overlayer modified Pt nanoparticle (MD-Pt overlayer/PtNPs) films were deliberately constructed on glassy carbon electrodes through alternately multiple underpotential deposition (UPD) of Ag followed redox replacement reaction by Pt (II) cations. The linear and regular growth of the films characterized by cyclic voltammetry was observed. Atomic force spectroscopy (AFM) provides the surface morphology of the nanostructured Pt films. Rotating disk electrode (RDE) voltammetry and rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) voltammetry demonstrate that the MD-Pt overlayer/PtNPs films can catalyze an almost four-electron reduction of O-2 to H2O in air-saturated 0.1 M H2SO4. Thus-prepared Pt films behave as novel nanostructured electrocatalysts for dioxygen reduction and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) with enhanced electrocatalytic activities, in terms of both reduction peak potential and peak current, when compared to that of the bulk polycrystalline Pt electrode. Additionally, it is noted that after multiple replacement cycles, the electrocatalytic activities improved remarkably, although the increased amount of Pt is very low in comparison to that of pre-modified PtNPs due to the intrinsic feature of the UPD-redox replacement technique. In other words, the electrocatalytic activities could be improved markedly without using very much Pt by the technique of tailoring the catalytic surface. These features may provide an interesting way to produce Pt catalysts with a reliable catalytic performance as well as a reduction in cost.