skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Density Functional Theory Study of Oxygen Reduction Activity on Ultrathin Platinum Nanotubes

Abstract

The structure, stability, and catalytic activity of a number of single- and double-wall platinum (n,m) nanotubes ranging in diameter from 0.3 to 2.0 nm were studied using plane-wave based density functional theory in the gas phase and water environment. The change in the catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with the size and chirality of the nanotube was studied by calculating equilibrium adsorption potentials for ORR intermediates and by constructing free energy diagrams in the ORR dissociative mechanism network. In addition, the stability of the platinum nanotubes is investigated in terms of electrochemical dissolution potentials and by determining the most stable state of the material as a function of pH and potential, as represented in Pourbaix diagrams. Our results show that the catalytic activity and the stability toward electrochemical dissolution depend greatly on the diameter and chirality of the nanotube. On the basis of the estimated overpotentials for ORR, we conclude that smaller, approximately 0.5 nm in diameter single-wall platinum nanotubes consistently show a huge, up to 400 mV larger overpotential than platinum, indicating very poor catalytic activity toward ORR. This is the result of substantial structural changes induced by the adsorption of any chemical species on thesemore » tubes. Single-wall n = m platinum nanotubes with a diameter larger than 1 nm have smaller ORR overpotentials than bulk platinum for up to 180 mV and thus show improved catalytic activity relative to bulk. We also predict that these nanotubes can endure the highest cell potentials but dissolution potentials are still for 110 mV lower than for the bulk, indicating a possible corrosion problem.« less

Authors:
; ; ;
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE
OSTI Identifier:
1052512
DOE Contract Number:  
AC05-76RL01830
Resource Type:
Journal Article
Journal Name:
Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(31):16499-16510
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Name: Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(31):16499-16510
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory

Citation Formats

Matanovic, Ivana, Kent, Paul, Garzon, Fernando, and Henson, Neil J. Density Functional Theory Study of Oxygen Reduction Activity on Ultrathin Platinum Nanotubes. United States: N. p., 2012. Web. doi:10.1021/jp3035456.
Matanovic, Ivana, Kent, Paul, Garzon, Fernando, & Henson, Neil J. Density Functional Theory Study of Oxygen Reduction Activity on Ultrathin Platinum Nanotubes. United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp3035456
Matanovic, Ivana, Kent, Paul, Garzon, Fernando, and Henson, Neil J. 2012. "Density Functional Theory Study of Oxygen Reduction Activity on Ultrathin Platinum Nanotubes". United States. https://doi.org/10.1021/jp3035456.
@article{osti_1052512,
title = {Density Functional Theory Study of Oxygen Reduction Activity on Ultrathin Platinum Nanotubes},
author = {Matanovic, Ivana and Kent, Paul and Garzon, Fernando and Henson, Neil J},
abstractNote = {The structure, stability, and catalytic activity of a number of single- and double-wall platinum (n,m) nanotubes ranging in diameter from 0.3 to 2.0 nm were studied using plane-wave based density functional theory in the gas phase and water environment. The change in the catalytic activity toward the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) with the size and chirality of the nanotube was studied by calculating equilibrium adsorption potentials for ORR intermediates and by constructing free energy diagrams in the ORR dissociative mechanism network. In addition, the stability of the platinum nanotubes is investigated in terms of electrochemical dissolution potentials and by determining the most stable state of the material as a function of pH and potential, as represented in Pourbaix diagrams. Our results show that the catalytic activity and the stability toward electrochemical dissolution depend greatly on the diameter and chirality of the nanotube. On the basis of the estimated overpotentials for ORR, we conclude that smaller, approximately 0.5 nm in diameter single-wall platinum nanotubes consistently show a huge, up to 400 mV larger overpotential than platinum, indicating very poor catalytic activity toward ORR. This is the result of substantial structural changes induced by the adsorption of any chemical species on these tubes. Single-wall n = m platinum nanotubes with a diameter larger than 1 nm have smaller ORR overpotentials than bulk platinum for up to 180 mV and thus show improved catalytic activity relative to bulk. We also predict that these nanotubes can endure the highest cell potentials but dissolution potentials are still for 110 mV lower than for the bulk, indicating a possible corrosion problem.},
doi = {10.1021/jp3035456},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1052512}, journal = {Journal of Physical Chemistry C, 116(31):16499-16510},
number = ,
volume = ,
place = {United States},
year = {Fri Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2012},
month = {Fri Jul 13 00:00:00 EDT 2012}
}