Three-dimensional Dendritic Pt Nanostructures: Sonoelectrochemical Synthesis and Electrochemical Applications

A new and convenient sonoelectrochemical method was used to synthesize uniform three-dimensional (3D) dendritic Pt nanostructures (DPNs) at room temperature. The size and morphology of the final product could be controlled via simply adjusting the experiment parameters. The morphology and structure of the DPNs were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, high resolution transmission electron microscopy, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray, and X-ray diffraction. The formation process of the DPNs was carefully studied, and a spontaneous assembly mechanism was proposed based on the experimental results. Additionally, the electrocatalytic activity of the DPNs was evaluated using methanol and glucose as model molecules. The DPNs showed improved electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation with respect to the monodisperse Pt nanoparticles; this improvement is due to the porosity structure and the greatly enhanced effective surface area. In addition, a sensitive enzyme-free biosensor can be easily developed for the detection of glucose in pH 7.4 phosphate buffer solution. The present method provides a new and simple strategy toward the fabrication of 3D DPNs with extensive applications.