Synthesis of Ni-MOF loaded Pt nanoparticle composites for the electro-oxidation of methanol in acidic media

A series of Pt/Ni-MOF nanocomposites with different atom molar ratio of Pt/Ni were synthesized by the traditional hydrothermal method. Various methods including element mapping, X-ray diffraction (XRD) were employed to characterize the crystal structure and surface morphology of the materials. TEM (Transmission Electron Microscopy) confirms that the Pt nanoparticles are highly dispersed onto the Ni-MOF nanosheet surface, which can provide an abundance of active sites for efficient oxidation of methanol. Electrochemical measurements showed that Catalyst b (the atomic molar ratio of Pt to Ni is 2:1 in the precursor materials) exhibited a higher oxidation current density in MOR and larger electrochemically active surface area (ECSA) than other catalysts with different atomic ratios and commercial Pt/C. Meanwhile, the synthesized catalysts showed longterm activity and good resistance to toxicity.