Carbon film encapsulated Pt NPs for selective oxidation of alcohols in acidic aqueous solution

Abstract Platinum is one of the best catalysts for various applications, but the deactivation of Pt nanoparticles (NPs) during alcohol oxidation is a major barrier to commercialization. In this work, multiwall carbon nanotubes supported carbon film encapsulated Pt NPs (Pt@C-MWCNTs) was synthesized and used in the selective oxidation of ethanol and glycerol in acidic aqueous solution. It was found that Pt@C-MWCNTs exhibited both higher activity and stability than bare Pt NPs. Characterization indicated that carbon film encapsulation can overcome the sintering, leaching and over-oxidation of Pt NPs during the reaction. Moreover, carbon film may also prevent the strong adsorption of organic carboxylic acid on Pt.