High electronic conductivity of the support material and uniform distribution of the catalyst nanoparticles (NPs) are extremely desirable for electrocatalysts. In this paper, we present our recent progress on electrocatalysts for fuel cells with simultaneously improved conductivity of the supporting carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and distribution of platinum (Pt) NPs through facile incorporation of g...

Fuel cells can directly convert chemical energy into electric energy with high conversion efficiency, high power density, quiet operation, and no pollution. Among many factors affecting the chemical-electrical energy conversion, oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on cathode is the pivot in fuel cell. This reaction is a kinetically slow process, which dominates the overall performance of a fuel cel...

Approximately 10-20% of the total dyes in the world is consumed in the textile industry. The present study aimed to investigate the photocatalytic activity of zinc oxide nanoparticles (ZnO) immobilized on synthetic activated carbon in the removal of the acid blue 113 dye from aqueous solutions. This experimental study was conducted in a photo-reactor with the useful volume of one liter. The eff...

In the pursuit of a hydrogen economy, extensive research has been directed at developing acidic and alkaline fuel cells. Such cells often utilize platinum-based catalysts. These materials have studied extensively in conditions but not ones. This focus on systems creates marked knowledge gap, since recent studies indicate that carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C) electrocatalysts degrade more rapidl...

The chemical functionalization of platinum (Pt) nanostructures is becoming a new trend in electrocatalysts designs. Meanwhile, highly branched Pt nanostructures are highly exciting electrocatalysts with high activity and stability owing to their specific physical and chemical properties. In this work, the polyallylamine (PAH) functionalized Pt nanolance assemblies (Pt NLAs) have been successful...

In this work, the photocatalytic reduction of nitrate in water was examined using zinc oxide loaded with platinum nanoparticles and formic acid as a hole scavenger (electron donor). The data obtained in the structural characterization and in the nitrate photoreduction experiments showed that 1wt% Pt/ZnO photocatalyst had the highest photocatalytic activity and selectivity toward nitrogen. Selec...

This article reviews the nanomaterials that have been prepared to date by pulsed sonoelectrochemistry. The majority of nanomaterials produced by this method are pure metals such as silver, palladium, platinum, zinc, nickel and gold, but more recently the syntheses have been extended to include the preparation of nanosized metallic alloys and metal oxide semiconductors. A major advantage of this...

Nanosize platinum clusters with small diameters of 2-4 nm are known to be excellent catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. The inherent catalytic activity of smaller platinum clusters has not yet been reported due to a lack of preparation methods to control their size (<2 nm). Here we report the synthesis of platinum clusters (diameter ≤1.4 nm) deposited on genomic double-stranded DNA-gra...