ИСТИНА

Smectite clays suspended in platinum deposition solution allow to alter the specific surface area of electrodeposited Pt on gold, and to enhance Pt specific activity towards methanol oxidation under steady-state conditions. Templating effects of three different clays (bentonite, montmorillonite and laponite) are compared. The most pronounced effect is found for bentonite, the clay bearing the highest specific charge of alumosilicate platelets. STM, SEM, EDX and XRD characterization discovers the clay effect on size distributions of Pt crystals. The estimates of electrochemically active true surface area are considered in terms of partial coalescence of Pt crystals. The degree of coalescence appears to be lower for templated deposits as compared to conventional electrodeposited platinum.