Preparation and properties of polypyrrole-modified carbon black supported Pt3Cu alloy catalyst

A coated polypyrrole modified carbon carrier material was prepared by low-temperature oxidation in situ polymerization, which improved the defects, such as impurities on the surface, low functionalization, and easy corrosion in a harsh electrochemical environment, of traditional carbon carriers. The modification of polypyrrole onto the traditional carbon carriers was confirmed using techniques, such as TEM, FTIR, XPS, and SEM. The results showed that when the amount of pyrrole was 0.4 mL, the mass and specific activity of Pt3Cu/C@PPy catalyst were 0.45 A mgPt−1 and 0.51 mA cmPt−2, respectively, which are 3.2 and 4.7 times higher than those of the JM Pt/C catalyst. Compared with the Pt3Cu/C catalyst without polypyrrole modification, the modified catalyst also exhibited higher catalytic activity, electrochemical durability, and higher battery power than the JM Pt/C catalyst. The coating of polypyrrole on the carbon carrier can protect the carbon carrier from corrosion, effectively disperse and anchor the metal particles, and enhance the interaction between the metal and the carrier, thereby improving the catalytic activity.