Microwave-assisted fast fabrication of a nanosized Pt sub(3)Co alloy on reduced graphene oxides

Ultrafine and homogenously dispersed Pt sub(3)Co alloy nanoparticles were fabricated on reduced graphene oxide (RGO) in a few minutes under microwave irradiation. Characterization results confirmed that microwave irradiation was important for higher metal utilization, the easy control of alloy composition, improved dispersion of the Pt sub(3)Co particles and minimizing the re-graphitization of the parent RGO by comparison with conventional solvent-thermal and impregnation methods. This Pt sub(3)Co/RGO-MW catalyst was extremely active and selective during the hydrogenation of cinnamaldehyde to cinnamyl alcohol. The calculated specific activity of each Pt atom in the Pt sub(3)Co/RGO-MW at 70 [degrees]C was 23.8 min super(-1).