Platinum-Paper Micromotors: An Urchin-like Nanohybrid Catalyst for Green Monopropellant Bubble-Thrusters

详细信息    查看全文

• 作者：Jonathan C. Claussen ; Michael A. Daniele ; Jason Geder ; Marius Pruessner ; Antti J. M盲kinen ; Brian J. Melde ; Mark Twigg ; Jasenka M. Verbarg ; Igor L. Medintz
• 刊名：ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
• 出版年：2014
• 出版时间：October 22, 2014
• 年：2014
• 卷：6
• 期：20
• 页码：17837-17847
• 全文大小：681K
• ISSN：1944-8252

文摘

Platinum nanourchins supported on microfibrilated cellulose films (MFC) were fabricated and evaluated as hydrogen peroxide catalysts for small-scale, autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) propulsion systems. The catalytic substrate was synthesized through the reduction of chloroplatinic acid to create a thick film of Pt coral-like microstructures coated with Pt urchin-like nanowires that are arrayed in three dimensions on a two-dimensional MFC film. This organic/inorganic nanohybrid displays high catalytic ability (reduced activation energy of 50鈥?3% over conventional materials and 13鈥?9% for similar Pt nanoparticle-based structures) during hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) decomposition as well as sufficient propulsive thrust (>0.5 N) from reagent grade H₂O₂ (30% w/w) fuel within a small underwater reaction vessel. The results demonstrate that these layered nanohybrid sheets are robust and catalytically effective for green, H₂O₂-based micro-AUV propulsion where the storage and handling of highly explosive, toxic fuels are prohibitive due to size-requirements, cost limitations, and close person-to-machine contact.

Keywords:

nanowires; platinum; cellulose; propulsion; hydrogen peroxide; autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs)