Publication
Title
Synthesis and characterization of a highly electroactive composite based on Au nanoparticles supported on nanoporous activated carbon for electrocatalysis
Author
Abstract
A facile, "one-pot", chemical approach to synthesize gold-based nanoparticles finely dispersed on porous activated carbon (Norit) was demonstrated in this work. The pH of the synthesis bath played a critical role in determining the optimal gold-carbon interaction, which enabled a successful deposition of the gold nanoparticles onto the carbon matrix with a maximized metal utilization of 93 %. The obtained AuNP/C nanocomposite was characterized using SEM, HAADF-STEM electron tomography and electrochemical techniques. It was found that the Au nanoparticles, with diameters between 5 and 20 nm, were evenly distributed over the carbon matrix, both inside and outside the pores. Electrochemical characterization indicated that the composite had a very large electroactive surface area (EASA), as high as 282.4 m2 gAu-1. By exploiting its very high EASA, the catalyst was intended to boost the productivity of glucaric acid in the electrooxidation of its precursor, gluconic acid. However, cyclic voltammetry experiments revealed a very limited reactivity towards gluconic acid oxidation, due to the spacial hindrance of gluconic acid molecule which prevented diffusion inside the catalyst nanopores. On the other hand, the as-synthesized nanocomposite promises to be effective towards the ORR, and might thus find potential application as anode catalyst for fuel cells as well as for the scalability of all those electrochemical reactions involving small molecules with high diffusivity and catalysed by noble metals (i. e. CO2, CH4, N2, etc..). Electrocatalysis: Gold nanoparticles with diameter between 5 and 20 nm evenly distributed onto porous activated carbon (Norit) were obtained using a facile "one-pot" chemical synthesis technique with very high metal utilization. The AuNP/C nanocomposite was characterized using SEM, HAADF-STEM electron tomography and electrochemical techniques, revealing a very large electroactive surface area (EASA). The figure shows the HAADF-STEM image (a) and the respective EDX elemental distribution (b) for the AuNP/C composite with 9.3 % Au-loading developed in this work (Au is marked in red and C in green).image
Language
English
Source (journal)
ChemElectroChem. - Place of publication unknown, 2013, currens
Publication
Weinheim : Wiley-v c h verlag gmbh , 2023
ISSN
2196-0216 [online]
DOI
10.1002/CELC.202300293
Volume/pages
10 :21 (2023) , p. 1-10
Article Reference
e202300293
ISI
001060398900001
Medium
E-only publicatie
Full text (Publisher's DOI)
Full text (open access)
UAntwerpen
Faculty/Department
Research group
Project info
Unlocking the triple nitrogen bond: increasing the Faradaic efficiency with enhanced electrocatalysts achieved through a combination of high-end electrochemistry and electron microscopy.
Flow technology as solution for up-scaling and increasing efficiency of chemical processes.
Publication type
Subject
Affiliation
Publications with a UAntwerp address
External links
Web of Science
Record
Identifier
Creation 02.10.2023
Last edited 25.04.2024
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