In-situ loading synthesis of graphene supported PtCu nanocube and its high activity and stability for methanol oxidation reaction

Yi Yang; Yi-Fei Guo; Ce Fu; Rong-Hua Zhang; Wei Zhan; Pan Wang; Xin Zhang; Qi Wang; Xin-Wen Zhou

doi:10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.129

In-situ loading synthesis of graphene supported PtCu nanocube and its high activity and stability for methanol oxidation reaction

J Colloid Interface Sci. 2021 Aug:595:107-117. doi: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.129. Epub 2021 Mar 24.

Authors

Yi Yang¹, Yi-Fei Guo², Ce Fu², Rong-Hua Zhang³, Wei Zhan², Pan Wang², Xin Zhang², Qi Wang⁴, Xin-Wen Zhou⁵

Affiliations

¹ College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China; School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm 10044, Sweden.
² College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China.
³ College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China. Electronic address: rhzhang@ctgu.edu.cn.
⁴ Key Laboratory of Photovoltaic and Energy Conversation Materials, Institute of Plasma Physics, Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, China. Electronic address: qiwang@ipp.ac.cn.
⁵ College of Biological and Pharmaceutical Sciences, China Three Gorges University, Yichang 443002, China. Electronic address: xwzhou@ctgu.edu.cn.

PMID: 33819686
DOI: 10.1016/j.jcis.2021.03.129

Abstract

A perfect PtCu nanocube with partial hollow structure was prepared by hydrothermal reaction and its electrocatalytic methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) was studied. The appropriate concentration of shape-control additives KI and triblock pluronic copolymers, poly(ethylene oxide)-poly(propylene oxide)-poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO₁₉-PPO₆₉-PEO₁₉) (P123) play crucial roles in the final product morphology. The PtCu nanocubes can be perfectly in situ immobilizedonto graphene under the action of P123 while the structure and cubic morphologyremain unchanged. The electrochemical tests suggest that the obtained PtCu nanocube (PtCu-NCb) exhibits better MOR activity and stability than PtCu hexagon nanosheet (PtCu-NSt), PtCu nanoellipsoid (PtCu-NEs) and commercial Pt/C in alkaline medium. When in situ immobilized onto graphene, the MOR catalytic activity and stability of PtCu cubes are further improved. The markedly enhanced electrocatalytic activity and durability maybe attributed to the special cubic morphology with partial hollow structure enclosed by highly efficient facet and the probably the synergistic effect of PtCu and intermediate state CuI decorated on the surface and graphene.

Keywords: CuI; In situ loading; Methanol oxidation reaction; Morphology maintain; PtCu nanocubes.