Spiny Pd/PtFe core/shell nanotubes with rich high-index facets for efficient electrocatalysis

Lu Tao; Zhonghong Xia; Qinghua Zhang; Yingjun Sun; Menggang Li; Kun Yin; Lin Gu; Shaojun Guo

doi:10.1016/j.scib.2020.07.021

Spiny Pd/PtFe core/shell nanotubes with rich high-index facets for efficient electrocatalysis

Sci Bull (Beijing). 2021 Jan 15;66(1):44-51. doi: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.07.021. Epub 2020 Jul 11.

Authors

Lu Tao¹, Zhonghong Xia², Qinghua Zhang³, Yingjun Sun², Menggang Li², Kun Yin², Lin Gu⁴, Shaojun Guo⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Materials Science & Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; BIC-ESAT, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
² Department of Materials Science & Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China.
³ Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China.
⁴ Beijing National Laboratory for Condensed Matter and Institute of Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, China; School of Physical Sciences, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China.
⁵ Department of Materials Science & Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; BIC-ESAT, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China; Department of Energy and Resources Engineering, College of Engineering, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China. Electronic address: guosj@pku.edu.cn.

PMID: 36654312
DOI: 10.1016/j.scib.2020.07.021

Abstract

The performance of fuel-cell related electrocatalysis is highly dependent on the morphology, size and composition of a given catalyst. In terms of rational design of Pt-based catalyst, one-dimensional (1D) ultrafine Pt alloy nanowires (NWs) are considered as a commendable model for enhanced catalysis on account of their favorable mass/charge transfer and structural durability. However, in order to achieve the noble metal catalysts in higher efficiency and lower cost, building high-index facets and shaping hollow interiors should be integrated into 1D Pt alloy NWs, which has rarely been done so far. Here, we report the first synthesis of a class of spiny Pd/PtFe core/shell nanotubes (SPCNTs) constructed by cultivating PtFe alloy branches with rich high-index facets along the 1D removable Pd supports, which is driven by the galvanic dissolution of Pd substrates concomitant with Stranski-Krastanov (S-K) growth of Pt and Fe, for achieving highly efficient fuel-cells-related electrocatalysis. This new catalyst can even deliver electrochemical active surface area (ECSA) of 62.7 m² g_Pt^-1, comparable to that of commercial carbon-supported Pt nanoparticles. With respect to oxygen reduction catalysis, the SPCNTs showcase the remarkable mass and specific activity of 2.71 A mg^-1 and 4.32 mA cm^-2, 15.9 and 16.0 times higher than those of commercial Pt/C, respectively. Also, the catalysts exhibit extraordinary resistance to the activity decay and structural degradation during 50,000 potential cycles. Moreover, the SPCNTs serve as a category of efficient and stable catalysts towards anodic alcohol oxidation.

Keywords: Alcohol oxidation; High-indexed surface; Oxygen reduction reaction; Pt-alloyed nanotubes; Stranski-Krastanov growth.