A new electrocatalyst consisting of a molecularly homogeneous platinum–aerogel nanocomposite

Aerogels offer interesting opportunities for (electro)catalysis due to their high porosity and specific surface area. A new electrocatalytic material consisting of a molecularly homogeneous platinum–aerogel nanocomposite was prepared. The mixed components represent, at the microscopic level, very homogeneous combinations originating from chemical interactions at the molecular scale in the liquid phase that can be viewed as "frozen in" in the solid state via supercritical drying. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of this material clearly show that nanometer-size platinum particles are homogeneously distributed and are a part of the molecular architecture of the composite. An X-ray photoelectronic spectroscopy (XPS) study indicates that there exists a special interaction between platinum and the support within a polyacrylonitrile–Pt (PAN-Pt) electrocatalyst. This material is a promising electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction, and its electrocatalytic activity arises from the nanodispersed platinum particles present in the nanocomposite.