Synthesis and Oxygen Reduction Activity of Shape-Controlled Pt3Ni Nanopolyhedra

• Published in: Nano letters 2010-02, Vol.10 (2), p.638-644
• Main Authors: Zhang, Jun, Yang, Hongzhou, Fang, Jiye, Zou, Shouzhong
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Catalytic methods; Condensed matter: structure, mechanical and thermal properties; Cross-disciplinary physics: materials science; rheology; Direct energy conversion and energy accumulation; Electrical engineering. Electrical power engineering; Electrical power engineering; Electrochemical conversion: primary and secondary batteries, fuel cells; Exact sciences and technology; Low-dimensional structures (superlattices, quantum well structures, multilayers): structure, and nonelectronic properties; Materials science; Methods of nanofabrication; Nanocrystalline materials; Nanoscale materials and structures: fabrication and characterization; Physics; Surfaces and interfaces; thin films and whiskers (structure and nonelectronic properties)
• ISSN: 1530-6984; 1530-6992
• DOI: 10.1021/nl903717z

Platinum-based alloys have been extensively shown to be effective catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). Most of these catalysts are nanoparticles without shape control. Recently, extended Pt3Ni(111) surfaces prepared in ultrahigh vacuum were demonstrated to possess enhanced ORR catalytic activity as compared to the state-of-the-art carbon supported Pt (Pt/C) nanoparticle catalysts. How and whether this promising surface can be transformed into practical nanoscale electrocatalysts used in PEMFCs remain a challenge. We report a new wet-chemical approach of preparing monodisperse Pt3Ni nanoctahedra and nanocubes terminated with {111} and {100} facets, respectively. We further show that the ORR activity on the Pt3Ni nanoctahedra is ∼5-fold higher than that of nanocubes with a similar size. Comparison of ORR activity between carbon-supported Pt3Ni nanoctahedra and commercial Pt/C reveals that the Pt3Ni nanoctahedra are highly active electrocatalysts. This synthetic strategy may be extended to the preparation of other shape-controlled fuel cell electrocatalysts.