Mesoporous carbon composite containing carbon nanotube

Abstract

Provided are a CNT-mesoporous silica composite, a CNT-mesoporous carbon composite, a supported catalyst using the CNT-mesoporous carbon composite as a support, and a fuel cell using the supported catalyst as the anode, cathode, or both anode and cathode. The CNT-mesoporous carbon composite is prepared using the CNT-mesoporous silica composite. The CNT-mesoporous carbon composite has a high electrical conductivity due to the CNTs contained therein, and thus, when the CNT-mesoporous carbon composite is used in an electrode of a fuel cell, the fuel cell has a remarkably improved performance relative to the conventional catalyst support which does not contain CNTs.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A carbon nanotube (CNT)-mesoporous silica composite comprising:
 mesoporous silica; and   CNTs dispersed in the mesoporous silica.   
     
     
         2 . The CNT-mesoporous silica composite of  claim 1 , wherein the concentration of the CNTs is from about 0.3% to about 10% by weight, based on to the total weight of the CNT-mesoporous silica composite. 
     
     
         3 . A method of preparing a carbon nanotube (CNT)-mesoporous silica composite, the method comprising:
 adding CNTs to water and a dissolved surfactant, to form a mixture;   adding a silica source and water to the mixture to form a solution;   adding an acid to the solution to adjust the pH of the solution;   stirring the solution;   heating the solution to obtain a powder;   separating the powder from the solution;   washing the powder at least once; and   calcining the powder to obtain a CNT-mesoporous silica composite.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of the surfactant is from about 1,000 to about 100,000 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the CNTs. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the concentration of the silica source is from about 3,000 to about 300,000 parts by weight, based on 100 parts by weight of the CNTs. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the silica source consists of tetraethoxysilane, tetramethoxysilane, or sodium silicate. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the pH of the solution is adjusted to from about 0.7 to about 7.0; and   the acid is nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, or acetic acid.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the heating is performed at from about 80° C. to about 160° C. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the heating is performed for about 30 minutes to about 120 minutes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the separating is performed by filtration or centrifugation. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the calcining is performed at from about 300° C. to about 550° C. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the calcining is performed for from about 3 hours to about 15 hours. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the CNTs are single-walled CNTs, multi-walled CNTs, carbon nano-fibers, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the CNTs are regularly dispersed in the CNT-mesoporous silica composite. 
     
     
         15 . The CNT-mesoporous silica composite of  claim 1 , wherein the CNTs are regularly dispersed in the mesoporous silica.