Functionalization of carbon nanotubes via supercritical fluid treatment

Functionalization of single-wall CNT (SWCNT) using surface activation with sulfonic acid intermediates and treatment with super-critical CO₂ or methanol were studied. A series of Pt functionalized SWCNT were prepared. The Pt particles ranged in size from 2-15 nm with an average particle size of 5 nm. Different Pt precursors, i.e., Pt(Acac)₂, PtCl₂, etc., surface activation intermediates, i.e., (2(4-chlorosulfonylphenyl) ethyl trichlorosilane)), and conditions were used to produce 2-3 nm Pt particles for fuel cell applications. The Pt functionalized SWCNT as well as the performance of these materials in a Micro-PEM fuel cell was discussed. This is an abstract of a paper presented at the AIChE Annual Meeting (San Francisco, CA 11/12-17/2006).