Platinum nanoparticles on carbon nanomaterials with graphene structure as hydrogenation catalysts

Carbon nanomaterials with graphene structure (single- and multiwall nanotubes and nanofibers) after oxidizing by a mixture of sulfuric and nitric acids and presumable introducing of carboxyl groups can be used as carrying agents of hydrogenation catalysts. Platinum in a concentration which should not exceed 10 wt % can be fixed using H2PtCl6 as a precursor in presence of an organic base. Catalysts based on these nanomaterials with the average size of platinum particles 6–8 nm exceed in activity the Pt/C catalyst with the size of platinum particles 65–70 nm, but are inferior to catalysts based on fullerene black with the average size of platinum particles 3–4 nm.