Platinum-paper micromotors: An urchin-like nanohybrid catalyst for green monopropellant bubble-thrusters

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2014-01-01
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Claussen, Jonathan
Claussen, Jonathan
Daniele, Michael
Geder, Jason
Pruessner, Marius
Makinen, Antti
Melde, Brian
Twigg, Mark
Verbarg, Jasenka
Medintz, Igor
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Mechanical Engineering
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Mechanical Engineering
Abstract

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 50-63% over conventional materials and 13-19% 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.

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This article is from ACS Applied Materials and Interfaces 6 (2014): 17837, doi: 10.1021/am504525e. Posted with permission.

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