The Formation of Metal-Catalyst Nanoparticles by the Hydrosol Method in TWEEN-20 Aqueous Solution and Conditions for Their Uniform Distribution on a Carbon Carrier Surface

Abstract

Conditions for the formation of metal-catalyst nanoparticles in an aqueous medium by the hydrosol method in the presence of surfactant are studied. Based on the study of the colloidal chemical properties of the preparation TWEEN-20, which is a polyoxyethylene sorbitan monolaurate containing, in addition to TWEEN-20 itself, impurities of other fatty alkyl esters and fatty acids, the possibility of its use in the synthesis of an electrocatalyst, including platinum, as a dispersion stabilizer of freshly formed particles is shown. The formation of platinum nanoparticles and their uniform distribution over the surface of the carbon carrier is confirmed by transmission electron microscopy, small-angle X-ray scattering, and X-ray-diffraction analysis.