Platinum-coated nanostructured oxides for active catalytic electrodes

In this work we propose the use of platinum-coated nanostructured oxides for improving the redox rate of active electrodes for applications in catalysts for water splitting, fuel cells, organic depollution, etc. In order to test this concept, CaCu3Ti4O12 nanorods were grown by magnetron sputtering over Si/SiO2/Ti/Pt substrates and coated with a platinum layer using the same technique. The performance of this active electrode was studied by cyclic voltammetry and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. Other Pt films (both dense and porous) deposited on oxidized silicon, and platinum-coated FTO-glass, when tested under the same conditions, were less efficient. The charge transfer resistance and the capacitance of one dimensional platinum-coated nanostructured electrodes were at least one order of magnitude better than those measured for platinum-coated FTO-glass. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.