Composite electrodes consisting of platinum particles and polyaniline nanowires as electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation

Abstract Polyaniline (PANI) with nanowire (PANI‐(NW)) network structure (mean diameter 10–20 nm) was successfully deposited on a stainless steel (SS) electrode by a galvanostatic process. Platinum particles were deposited into the PANI nanowire network structure to result the PANI(NW)‐Pt composite electrode. The PANI(NW)‐Pt electrode was used as electrocatalysts for the electrochemical oxidation of methanol. The PANI nanowires and PANI(NW)‐Pt nanocomposite were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and UV–vis absorption spectroscopy. Nanowire morphology with an average diameter of 10–20 nm could be seen from scanning electron micrograph. Small amount (70 mμm) of spherical Pt particles could be deposited into the PANI(NW). Catalytic activity for the oxidation of methanol was studied by using cyclic voltammetry (CV). For comparative purposes, bulk Pt (deposited Pt on SS) and PANI nanowires based electrodes were tested. The PANI(NW)‐Pt nanocomposite electrode exhibited excellent catalytic activity for the electrooxidation of methanol in comparison to bulk Pt electrodes, which reveals that the PANI(NW)‐Pt nanocomposite electrodeis more promising for application in electrocatalyst as a support material. POLYM. COMPOS., 28:650–656, 2007. © 2007 Society of Plastics Engineers