Abstract
We present a method for forming ordered rhodium nanostructures on a solid support. The approach makes use of a block copolymer to create and assemble rhodium chloride nanoparticles from solution onto a surface; subsequent plasma and thermal processing are employed to remove the polymer and fully convert the nanostructures to metallic rhodium. Films cast from a solution of the triblock copolymer poly(styrene-b-2-vinyl pyridine-b-ethylene oxide) dissolved in toluene with rhodium(III) chloride hydrate were capable of producing a monolayer of rhodium nanoparticles of uniform size and interparticle spacing. The nanostructures were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The electrocatalytic performance of the nanoparticles was investigated with AC impedance spectroscopy. We observed that the addition of the particles to a model solid oxide fuel cell anode provided up to a 14-fold improvement in the anode activity as evidenced by a decrease in the AC impedance resistance. Examination of the anode after electrochemical measurement revealed that the basic morphology and distribution of the particles were preserved.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 4919-4923 |
Number of pages | 5 |
Journal | ACS nano |
Volume | 7 |
Issue number | 6 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jun 25 2013 |
Keywords
- anode
- block copolymer lithography
- catalysis
- micelle encapsulation
- rhodium
- solid-oxide fuel cells
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General Materials Science
- General Engineering
- General Physics and Astronomy