Nitrogen-doped porous carbon sphere supported Pt nanoparticles for methanol and ethanol electro-oxidation in alkaline media

A simple method for the preparation of porous nitrogen-doped carbon spheres (MNCS) with honeycomb-like structures through the self-assembly of colloidal silica by using polyaniline as the nitrogen source and a carbon precursor is reported. The BET surface area calculated from N2 adsorption/desorption measurement of the MNCS is up to 882 m2 g−1. The synthesized MNCS were employed as a support for Pt nanoparticles for the oxidation of methanol and ethanol in alkaline media. Compared to Pt supported on commercial Vulcan XC-72R carbon (Pt/C), Pt/MNCS exhibit higher electro-catalytic performance and greater stability, indicating that MNCS have potential application prospects as electro-catalyst supports for alcohol oxidation in alkaline media. This enhancement in performance is due to the honeycomb-like porous structure of the MNCS and the doping with nitrogen.