Size-controlled synthesis of colloidal platinum nanoparticles and their activity for the electrocatalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide.

Using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) as a stabilizing agent, stable colloidal solutions of platinum nanoparticles of different size distributions have been prepared by reducing H2PtCl6 with hydrogen. The UV-vis adsorption peaks at 258 nm due to the adsorption of Pt(IV) species disappear completely, indicating that the Pt(IV) species has been used up and colloidal Pt has been formed. The electrodes have been prepared from aqueous Pt colloids and glassy carbon (GC). The effect of platinum particle size of Pt/GC catalyst electrode on the electrocatalytic oxidation of carbon monoxide has been investigated. The voltammetry shows that a higher potential is needed for the oxidation of absorbed carbon monoxide with a decrease of the platinum particle size for particle sizes larger than 1 nm. But for particle sizes smaller than 1 nm, the potential remains constant while the activity decreases with decreasing the size. The snowlike, well-dispersed, and highly ordered platinum nanoparticles demonstrate high activity in the oxidation reaction of carbon monoxide. The reason may be due to the geometric structure of platinum nanoparticles.