POLYANILINE-SUPPORTED ATOMIC GOLD ELECTRODES AND METHODS OF MAKING AND USING SAME
Atomic gold electrodes, including electrodes containing a polyaniline gold complex are disclosed, including methods of making and using the same. In some embodiments, the atomic gold electrode can be described as a polyaniline coated electrode having atomic gold clusters complexed to the polyaniline at levels of between 1-20 gold atoms. A method for preparing the polyaniline gold complexes is disclosed that can deposit gold atoms one at a time into a complex with the polyaniline, allowing for highly tailored atomic clusters. A method of oxidizing alcohols, and the application to devices such as fuel cells are also disclosed.
1 . A method of making an atomic gold electrode comprising
1) coating an electrode with a PANI film
2) preconditioning the PANI film by overoxiding the PANI film
3) creating a PANI-AuX 4 − complex
4) reducing the PANI-AuX 4 − complex to form an atomic gold-PANI complex
5) repeating steps 3 and 4 (N−1) number of times to create a PANI-Au N complex,
where N is 1 to 20, and X is chloride, bromide, iodide, cyanate, or isocyanate.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the coating an electrode comprises treating the electrode with an aniline solution at positive voltage.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the preconditioning comprises cycling the voltage from −0.2V to +0.7V, then holding the voltage at least about +0.8V for at least 30 minutes.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the voltage is held at at least about 0.8 V for at least 45 minutes.
5 . The method of claim 3 wherein the voltage is held at at least about 0.8 V for at least 60 minutes.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein creating the PANI-AuX 4 − comprises holding the PANI at about 0.7 V and exposing the PANI to AuX 4 − .
7 . The method of claim 1 wherein creating the AuX 4 − complex comprises a solution in HClO 4 .
8 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the reducing the PANI-AuX 4 − complex comprises sweeping the voltage to −0.2V.
9 . The method of claim 1 , wherein N is 1 to 10.
10 . The method of claim 1 , wherein N is 1 to 8.
11 . The method of claim 1 , wherein N is 2, 4, or 6.
12 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the PANI-AuX 4 − complex is created at a ratio of about 20% Au per nitrogen.
13 . A method of oxidizing an alcohol on an atomic gold electrode, wherein the atomic gold electrode comprising a PANI-Au N complex, and N is between 1 and 20.
14 . The method of claim 13 wherein the oxidation is conducted in solution phase.
15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein the solution comprises a basic solution.
16 . The method of claim 13 wherein the electrode further comprises platinum.
17 . The method of claim 13 , wherein the atomic gold electrode is prepared by
i) coating an electrode with a PANI film
ii) preconditioning the PANI film by overoxiding the PANI film
iii) creating a PANI-AuX 4 − complex
iv) reducing the PANI-AuX 4 − complex to form an atomic gold-PANI complex
v) repeating steps iii and iv (N−1) number of times to create a PANI-Au N complex.
18 . The method of claim 13 , wherein N is 1 to 8.
19 . The method of claim 13 , wherein N is 2, 4, or 6.
20 . A fuel cell comprising an atomic gold electrode and a fuel source
wherein the atomic gold electrode comprises an electrode comprising platinum and PANI-Au N , and the fuel source is an alcohol; and N=1-20.