UV radiation effect on the microstructure and performance of electrocatalysts based on small Pt nanoparticles synthesized in the liquid phase

A comparative study of the nucleation/growth processes of the platinum nanoparticles has been carried out with and without ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Platinum‑carbon catalysts containing 20%wt Pt with the average crystallite size ranges from 1.3 to 3.6 nm obtained by the liquid phase synthesis, using various reducing agents. It is shown, that for materials obtained under UV irradiation action the electrochemically active surface area increases up to 80% in comparison with the analogs. Improvement in the functional characteristics of the catalysts is due to narrowing in the size distribution of Pt nanoparticles and an increase in the uniformity of their spatial distribution. The synthesized catalysts demonstrated mass activity in ORR, which significantly exceeded the commercial analog activity. The approaches to the production of nanomaterials shown in the article are of great applied importance, since they can be used for gram-level syntheses. • Successful application of UV radiation in gram-level synthesis of Pt/C catalysts • Reproducible synthesis of electrocatalysts contained small Pt nanoparticles. • UV radiation affects nucleation during the synthesis of platinum nanoparticles. • UV irradiation allows to narrow the size distribution of the resulting nanoparticles. • UV irradiation of the reaction mixture is a simple tool for the catalysts improving.