Porous Pt-NiO _x nanostructures with ultrasmall building blocks and enhanced electrocatalytic activity for the ethanol oxidation reaction.

ABSTRACT: Oxidized species on surfaces would significantly improve the electrocatalytic activity of Pt-based materials. Constructing three-dimensional porous structures would endow the catalysts with good stability. Here, we report a simple strategy to synthesize porous Pt-NiO _x nanostructures composed of ultrasmall (about 3.0 nm) building blocks in an ethanol-water solvent. Structure and component analysis revealed that the as-prepared material consisted of interconnected Pt nanocrystals and amorphous NiO _x species. The formation mechanism investigation revealed that the preformed amorphous compounds were vital for the construction of porous structure. In the ethanol oxidation reaction, Pt-NiO _x /C exhibited current densities of 0.50 mA cm_Pt ^-2 at 0.45 V (vs. SCE), which were 16.7 times higher than that of a commercial Pt/C catalyst. Potentiostatic tests showed that Pt-NiO _x /C had much higher current and better tolerance towards CO poisoning than the Pt/C catalyst under 0.45 V (vs. SCE). In addition, the NiO _x species on the surface also outperformed an alloyed Ni component in the test. These results indicate that the Pt-NiO _x porous nanomaterial is promising for use in direct ethanol fuel cells.

SUBMITTER: Li B 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9076817 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature