DEPOSITION OF PLATINUM NANOPARTICLES ON NATA DE COCO MEMBRANES AS A CATALYST FOR FUEL CELLS

• Main Author: Syahbanu, Intan
• Format: Theses
• Language: Indonesia
• Subjects: Kimia
• Online Access: https://digilib.itb.ac.id/gdl/view/38204
• Institution: Institut Teknologi Bandung

Platinum (Pt) is known as an effective catalyst for Proton Exchange Membrane Fuel Cell (PEMFC). One of the important factors which affects the effectiveness as catalyst is its particles size, ranging from 1 to 100 nm. Nanoparticle Pt could be obtained using nata de coco polymer as matrix through the synthesis of metal/cellulose composite. In this research, in situ synthesis of Pt/nata de coco composite has been done in 16 hours by ultrasonics using potassium tetrachloroplatinate (K2PtCl4) solution as a precursor. The Pt/nata de coco composite was obtained after the reduction step using sodium borrohydride (NaBH4) solution and hydrogen gas at 2.9 psi for about 4 hours. Using precursor concentration of 2 mM, 5 mM and 10 mM, the resulting composites showed that the content of Pt incorporated in the nata de coco matrix was 1.0 mg/cm2 ; 1.8 mg/cm2 and 2.0 mg/cm2, respectively. The optimum condition was obtained by the precursor concentration of 5 mM. The SEM analysis showed that the deposition of Pt nanoparticles on nata de coco resulted in average Pt particle size of 40 nm, compared to a value of 1500 nm for Pt reduction without nata de coco . At the optimum precursor concentration of 5 mM, the proton conductivity of the composite was 1,04x10-4 S/cm and 4,16x10-3 S/cm for dry and wet condition, respectively. It can be concluded that Pt/nata de coco composites were potential as catalyst for fuel cells. However, further research have to be developed in order to optimize this potency.