Towards scaling up the sonochemical synthesis of Pt-nanocatalysts

Large scale production of electrocatalysts for electrochemical energy conversion devices such as proton exchange membrane fuel cells must be developed to reduce their cost. The current chemical reduction methods used for this synthesis suffer from problems with achieving similar particle properties such as particle size and catalytic activity when scaling up the volume or the precursor concentration. The continuous production of reducing agents through the sonochemical synthesis method could help maintain the reducing conditions (and also the particle properties) upon increasing the reactor volume. In this work we demonstrate that the reducing conditions of Pt-nanoparticles are indeed maintained when the reactor volume is increased from 200 mL to 800 mL. Similar particle sizes, 2.1(0.3) nm at 200 mL and 2.3(0.4) nm at 800 mL, and catalytic activities towards the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are maintained as well. The reducing conditions were assessed through TiOSO4 dosimetry, sonochemiluminesence imaging, acoustic power measurements, and Pt(II) reduction rate measurements. Cyclic voltammetry, CO-stripping, hydrogen evolution measurements, ORR measurements, and electron microscopy were used to evaluate the catalytic activity and particle size. The similar particle properties displayed from the two reactor volumes suggest that the sonochemical synthesis of Pt-nanoparticles is suitable for large scale production.