Carbon nanotube-supported Pt nanoparticles were loaded using a microwave oven on defective carbon nanotubes generated by an additional oxidant during acid treatment. Raman spectra and X-ray diffraction analysis demonstrated that defects created during oxidation and microwave treatment acted as nucleation seeds for Pt adsorption. The Pt nanoparticles had size distributions of 2 to 3nm and were uniformly distributed on the defects of carbon nanotubes. Density functional calculations showed that the adsorption of Pt atom on nanotube vacancies was significantly stronger by s-p hybridization with carbon atoms near to the defect site.

Defect-Induced Loading of Pt Nanoparticles on Carbon Nanotubes. S.J.Kim, Y.J.Park, E.J.Ra, K.K.Kim, K.H.An, Y.H.Lee, J.Y.Choi, C.H.Park, S.K.Doo, M.H.Park, C.W.Yang: Applied Physics Letters, 2007, 90[2], 023114