Polyaniline Nanofibers: Inducing Action of Neodymium Oxide and Inhibiting Effect on Electrochemical Degradation and Modified Platinum Electrode Application to the Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

A simple chemical method was introduced to prepare polyaniline nanofibers in this article. According to the experimental results of scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectra, critical micelle concentration (CMC) of toluene-p-sulfonic acid (p-TSA), electrokinetic potential (ζ-potential), and retarding contact angle (θ), the inducing action of neodymium oxide (Nd2O3) on the forming of polyaniline nanofibers was systematically studied. By means of cyclic voltammetry (CV) investigation, the electrochemical activity of the polyaniline in 0.1 mol L−1 H2SO4 aqueous solution and the electrocatalysis of platinum (Pt) electrode modified by the polyaniline nanofibers to methanol oxidation were studied. The results indicated that inducing action of Nd2O3 on the formation of polyaniline nanofibers was outstanding. Increasing the concentration of p-TSA contributed to the formation of the nanofibers. In the process of preparing platinum elec...