Metallized conducting polymer-grafted carbon material and method for making
View Patent ↗A composition comprising particulate carbonaceous material and a conducting polymer containing hetero atoms. The composition can further comprise a metal. Devices comprising the composition can be constructed including supported electrocatalysts, membrane electrode assemblies, and fuel cells. A method for preparing the composition comprises oxidatively polymerizing a monomer of a conducting polymer containing hetero atoms in the presence of a carbonaceous material wherein the oxidative polymerization takes place in the presence of a metal-containing oxidizing agent. The method grafts the conducting polymer to the carbonaceous material while essentially simultaneously metallizing the composition.
1. A method for preparing a carbon composition with enhanced electronic conductivity and containing a first metal comprising, oxidatively polymerizing monomer of a conducting polymer containing a hetero atom with particulate carbonaceous material to form a metallized conducting polymer-grafted carbonaceous material, wherein the oxidative polymerization takes place in the presence of a metal-containing oxidizing agent, wherein the metal of the metal-containing oxidizing agent is the first metal.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises graphite, nanocarbon, fullerenes, fullerinic material, finely divided carbon, or a mixtures thereof.
3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous material comprises carbon black.
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the monomer of a conducting polymer comprises an amino aryl or a nitrogen heterocycle.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the metal-containing oxidizing agent comprises chloroplatinic acid.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the oxidatively polymerizing comprises adding a metal-containing oxidizing agent to a mixture of the carbonaceous material and a monomer of the conducting polymer.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the conducting polymer comprises polyaniline, polypyrrole, polyfuran, polythiophene, poly(p-phenylene-oxide), poly(p-phenylene-sulfide), or a mixture thereof.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising adding a reducing agent.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the reducing agent comprises formaldehyde, sodium borohydride, hydrogen, hydrazine, hydroxyl amine, or a mixture of reducing agents thereof.
10. A composition made by the method of claim 1 .
11. A fuel cell device comprising the composition of claim 10 .