High Performance Pt Monolayer Catalysts Produced via Core-Catalyzed Coating in Ethanol

Observing the Structural Evolution of Quasi-Monolayer Pt Shell on Pd Core in the Electrocatalytic Oxygen-Reduction Reaction

The use of a quasi-monolayer Pt shell (Ptqms) on a Pd core (Pdc) can reach cost and activity targets for the electrocatalytic oxygen-reduction reaction (ORR). The structure of PdcPtqms in the ORR will vary; however, direct observation of this issue is scarce. Here, during cyclic staircase voltammetry (ranging from 0.5 to 1.15 VRHE) in 0.1 M O2-saturated HClO4, the structure of PdcPtqms was monitored by in situ X-ray absorption spectroscopy. The qualitative and quantitative structural information clearly exhibits a complete picture that Ptqms will directly restructure to form Pt clusters and holes, while Pdc almost remains stable. These findings identify the initial structural evolution of PdcPtqms in the ORR, highlighting the importance of protecting Pdc in the development of high-performance PdcPtqms electrocatalysts.

Achievements in Pt nanoalloy oxygen reduction reaction catalysts: strain engineering, stability and atom utilization efficiency

The Pt nanoalloy surfaces often show unique electronic and physicochemical properties that are distinct from those of their parent metals, which provide significant room for manipulating their oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) behaviour. In this Feature Article, we present the progress of our recent research and that of other groups in Pt nanoalloy catalysts for ORR from three aspects, namely, strain engineering, stability and atom utilization efficiency. Some new insights into Pt surface strain engineering will be firstly introduced, with a focus on discussing the effect of compressive and tensile strain on the chemisorption properties. Secondly, the design concepts and synthetic methodologies to intensify the inherent stability of Pt nanoalloys will be summarized. Then, the exciting research push in developing nanostructured alloys with high atom utilization efficiency of Pt will be presented. Finally, a brief illumination of challenges and future developing perspectives of Pt nanoalloy catalysts will be provided.

Surface engineering of Rh-modified Pd nanocrystals by colloidal underpotential deposition for electrocatalytic methanol oxidation

The development of methods to control the surface structures of metallic nanocatalysts is of vital importance for their application as heterogeneous catalysts in chemical conversions of energy and environmental and chemical engineering. The underpotential deposition (UPD) phenomenon has received considerable interest as a tool for the controllable synthesis of metal nanocrystals and engineering their catalytic performances. Herein, the discovery of UPD of Rh on Pd nanocrystals is reported. More importantly, the UPD of Rh is explored as a strategy to direct the synthesis of Rh-modified Pd nanocrystals with controllable shapes and surface structures. The mechanism of the UPD of Rh on Pd is elucidated in terms of electronegativity difference considerations. Compared with pristine Pd octahedral nanocrystals and commercial carbon-supported Pd catalysts, the Rh-modified Pd octahedral nanocrystals exhibit remarkable electrocatalytic performances during the methanol oxidation reaction in alkaline media. Our discovery heralds a new paradigm for UPD-mediated growth of metal nanocrystals and may provide a mechanistic understanding for the guided design of other colloidal UPD systems in the synthesis and surface engineering of metal nanocrystals.

A Review of Preparation Strategies for α-MoC1-x Catalysts

Transition metal carbides are attracting growing attention as robust and affordable alternative heterogeneous catalysts to platinum group metals, for a host of contemporary and established hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, and isomerisation reactions. In particular, the metastable α-MoC1-x phase has been shown to exhibit interesting catalytic properties for low temperature processes reliant on O-H and C-H bond activation. While demonstrating exciting catalytic properties, a significant challenge exists in the application of metastable carbides, namely the challenging procedure for their preparation. In this review we will briefly discuss the properties and catalytic applications of α-MoC1-x, followed by a more detailed discussion on available synthesis methods and important parameters that influence carbide properties. Techniques are contrasted with properties of phase, surface area, morphology and Mo:C being considered. Further, we briefly relate these observations to experimental and theoretical studies of α-MoC1-x in catalytic applications. Synthetic strategies discussed are, the original temperature programmed ammonolysis followed by carburisation, alternative oxycarbide or hydrogen bronze precursor phases, heat treatment of moybdate-amide compounds and other low temperature synthetic routes. The importance of carbon removal and catalyst passivation in relation to surface and bulk properties are also discussed. Novel techniques that by-pass the apparent bottle neck of ammonolysis are reported, however a clear understanding of intermediate phases is required to be able to fully apply these techniques. Pragmatically, the scaled application of these techniques requires the pre-pyrolysis wet chemistry to be simple and scalable. Further, there is a clear opportunity to correlate observed morphologies/phases and catalytic properties with findings from computational theoretical studies. Detailed characterisation throughout the synthetic process is essential and will undoubtedly provide fundamental insights that can be used for the controllable and scalable synthesis of metastable α-MoC1-x.

Synergetic Structural Transformation of Pt Electrocatalyst into Advanced 3D Architectures for Hydrogen Fuel Cells

A new direction for developing electrocatalysts for hydrogen fuel cell systems has emerged, based on the fabrication of 3D architectures. These new architectures include extended Pt surface building blocks, the strategic use of void spaces, and deliberate network connectivity along with tortuosity, as design components. Various strategies for synthesis now enable the functional and structural engineering of these electrocatalysts with appropriate electronic, ionic, and electrochemical features. The new architectures provide efficient mass transport and large electrochemically active areas. To date, although there are few examples of fully functioning hydrogen fuel cell devices, these 3D electrocatalysts have the potential to achieve optimal cell performance and durability, exceeding conventional Pt powder (i.e., Pt/C) electrocatalysts. This progress report highlights the various 3D architectures proposed for Pt electrocatalysts, advances made in the fabrication of these structures, and the remaining technical challenges. Attempts to develop design rules for 3D architectures and modeling, provide insights into their achievable and potential performance. Perspectives on future developments of new multiscale designs are also discussed along with future study directions.

Multilayer electrodeposition of Pt onto 1-2 nm Au nanoparticles using a hydride-termination approach

Here we report on hydride-terminated (HT) electrodeposition of Pt multilayers onto ∼1.6 nm Au nanoparticles (NPs). The results build on our earlier findings regarding electrodeposition of a single monolayer of Pt onto Au NPs and reports relating to HT Pt electrodeposition onto bulk Au. In the latter case, it was found that electrodeposition of Pt from a solution containing PtCl42- can be limited to a single monolayer of Pt atoms if it is immediately followed by adsorption of a monolayer of H atoms. The H-atom capping layer prevents deposition of Pt multilayers. In the present report we are interested in comparing the structure of NPs after multiple HT Pt electrodeposition cycles to the bulk analog. The results indicate that a greater number of HT Pt cycles are required to electrodeposit both a single Pt monolayer and Pt multilayers onto these Au NPs compared to bulk Au. Additionally, detailed structural analysis shows that there are fundamental differences in the structures of the AuPt materials depending on whether they are prepared on Au NPs or bulk Au. The resulting structures have a profound impact on formic acid oxidation electrocatalysis.

Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study of the Structure of AuPt Nanoparticles Prepared by Galvanic Exchange

In this article, experiment and theory are combined to analyze Pb and Cu underpotential deposition (UPD) on ∼1.7 nm Au nanoparticles (NPs) and the AuPt structures that result after galvanic exchange (GE) of the UPD layer for Pt. Experimental Pb (0.49 ML) and Pt (0.50 ML) coverages are close to values predicted by density functional theory-molecular dynamics (DFT-MD, 0.59 ML). DFT-MD reveals that the AuNPs spontaneously reconstruct from cuboctahedral to a (111)-like structure prior to UPD. In the case of Pb, this results in the random electrodeposition of Pb onto the Au surface. This mechanism is a consequence of opposing trends in Pb-Pb and Pb-Au coordination numbers as a function of Pb coverage. Cu UPD is more complex, and agreement between theory and experiment takes into account ligand effects (e.g., SO₄^2- present as the electrolyte) and the electric double layer. Importantly, AuPt structures formed upon Pt GE are found to differ markedly depending on the UPD metal. Specifically, cyclic voltammetry indicates that the Pt coverage is ∼0.20 ML greater for Cu UPD/Pt GE (0.70 ML) than for Pb UPD/Pt GE (0.50 ML). This difference is corroborated by DFT-MD theoretical predictions. Finally, DFT-MD calculations predict the formation of surface alloy and core@shell structures for Pb UPD/Pt GE and Cu UPD/Pt GE, respectively.

Recent Advances on Controlled Synthesis and Engineering of Hollow Alloyed Nanotubes for Electrocatalysis

The past decade has witnessed great progress in the synthesis and electrocatalytic applications of 1D hollow alloy nanotubes with controllable compositions and fine structures. Hollow nanotubes have been explored as promising electrocatalysts in the fuel cell reactions due to their well-controlled surface structure, size, porosity, and compositions. In addition, owing to the self-supporting ability of 1D structure, hollow nanotubes are capable of avoiding catalyst aggregation and carbon corrosion during the catalytic process, which are two other issues for the widely investigated carbon-supported nanoparticle catalysts. It is currently a great challenge to achieve high activity and stability at a relatively low cost to realize commercialization of these catalysts. An overview of the structural and compositional properties of 1D hollow alloy nanotubes, which provide a large number of accessible active sites, void spaces for electrolytes/reactants impregnation, and structural stability for suppressing aggregation, is presented. The latest advances on several strategies such as hard template and self-templating methods for controllable synthesis of hollow alloyed nanotubes with controllable structures and compositions are then summarized. Benefiting from the advantages of the unique properties and facile synthesis approaches, the capability of 1D hollow nanotubes is then highlighted by discussing examples of their applications in fuel-cell-related electrocatalysis. Finally, the remaining challenges and potential solutions in the field are summarized to provide some useful clues for the future development of 1D hollow alloy nanotube materials.

Ultrafine α-Phase Molybdenum Carbide Decorated with Platinum Nanoparticles for Efficient Hydrogen Production in Acidic and Alkaline Media

The development of efficient electrocatalysts is important to produce clean and sustainable hydrogen fuel on a large scale. With respect to cathodic reactions, Pt exhibits an overwhelming electrocatalytic capability in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in comparison with other earth-abundant electrocatalysts, despite its rarity and high cost. So, a hybrid catalyst that combines a low-cost electrocatalyst with Pt would balance cost-effectiveness with catalytic activity. Herein, α-phase molybdenum carbide (MoC1- x ) nanoparticles (NPs) decorated with a small amount of Pt (MoC1- x /Pt-NPs) are designed to achieve high-performance hydrogen production in acidic and alkaline media. MoC1- x -NPs exhibit good electrocatalytic HER activity as well as stability and durability. They show favorable catalytic kinetics in an alkaline medium, suggesting an active water dissociation process. After Pt decoration, Pt-NPs that are 2-3 nm in diameter are well incorporated with MoC1- x -NPs. MoC1- x /Pt-NPs with a small amount of Pt (2.7-3 wt%) and are able to perform superior electrocatalytic HER activity, and possess stability and durability that is comparable to that of commercial Pt/C. Notably, they exhibit a higher intrinsic catalytic activity compared to that of Pt/C in an alkaline medium, indicating that they promote the sluggish catalytic kinetics of Pt in alkaline medium.

Expert assessments of the cost and expected future performance of proton exchange membrane fuel cells for vehicles

Despite decades of development, proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) still lack wide market acceptance in vehicles. To understand the expected trajectories of PEMFC attributes that influence adoption, we conducted an expert elicitation assessment of the current and expected future cost and performance of automotive PEMFCs. We elicited 39 experts' assessments of PEMFC system cost, stack durability, and stack power density under a hypothetical, large-scale production scenario. Experts assessed the median 2017 automotive cost to be $75/kW, stack durability to be 4,000 hours, and stack power density to be 2.5 kW/L. However, experts ranged widely in their assessments. Experts' 2017 best cost assessments ranged from $40 to $500/kW, durability assessments ranged from 1,200 to 12,000 hours, and power density assessments ranged from 0.5 to 4 kW/L. Most respondents expected the 2020 cost to fall short of the 2020 target of the US Department of Energy (DOE). However, most respondents anticipated that the DOE's ultimate target of $30/kW would be met by 2050 and a power density of 3 kW/L would be achieved by 2035. Fifteen experts thought that the DOE's ultimate durability target of 8,000 hours would be met by 2050. In general, experts identified high Pt group metal loading as the most significant barrier to reducing cost. Recommended research and development (R&D) funding was allocated to "catalysts and electrodes," followed in decreasing amount by "fuel cell performance and durability," "membranes and electrolytes," and "testing and technical assessment." Our results could be used to inform public and private R&D decisions and technology roadmaps.

Nanostructure Optimization of Platinum-Based Nanomaterials for Catalytic Applications

Platinum-based nanomaterials have attracted much interest for their promising potentials in fields of energy-related and environmental catalysis. Designing and controlling the surface/interface structure of platinum-based nanomaterials at the atomic scale and understanding the structure-property relationship have great significance for optimizing the performances in practical catalytic applications. In this review, the strategies to obtain platinum-based catalysts with fantastic activity and great stability by composition regulation, shape control, three-dimension structure construction, and anchoring onto supports, are presented in detail. Moreover, the structure-property relationship of platinum-based nanomaterials are also exhibited, and a brief outlook are given on the challenges and possible solutions in future development of platinum-based nanomaterials towards catalytic reactions.

Defect Sites in Ultrathin Pd Nanowires Facilitate the Highly Efficient Electrochemical Hydrodechlorination of Pollutants by H*ads

Adsorbed atomic H (H*_ads) facilitates indirect pathways playing a major role in the electrochemical removal of various priority pollutants. It is crucial to identify the atomic sites responsible for the provision of H*_ads. Herein, through a systematic study of the distribution of H*_ads on Pd nanocatalysts with different sizes and, more importantly, deliberately controlled relative abundance of surface defects, we uncovered the central role of defects in the provision of H*_ads. Specifically, the H*_ads generated on Pd in an electrochemical process increased markedly upon introducing defect sites by changing the morphology to ultrathin polycrystalline Pd nanowires (NWs), while dramatically reducing upon decreasing the number of surface defects through an annealing treatment. Benefiting from a proportion of H*_ads up to 40% of the total H* species, the Pd NWs showed an electrochemical active surface area normalized rate constant of 13.8 ± 0.8 h^-1 m^-2, which is 8-9 times higher than its Pd/C counterparts. The pivotal role of defect sites for the generation of H*_ads was further verified by blocking such sites with Rh and Pt atoms, while theoretical calculation also confirms that the adsorption energy of H*_ads on these sites is much higher than that on the Pd{111} facet.

Pt-Decorated Composition-Tunable Pd-Fe@Pd/C Core-Shell Nanoparticles with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity toward the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Design of electrocatalysts with both a high-Pt-utilization efficiency and enhanced electrochemical activity is still the key challenge in the development of proton exchange membrane fuel cells. In the present work, Pd-Fe/C bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) with an optimal Fe composition and decorated with Pt are introduced as promising catalysts toward the oxygen reduction reaction. These bimetallic nanoparticles have a Pd-Fe@Pd core-shell structure with a surface Pt decoration as established through the use of electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS) and energy-dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. These catalysts exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity ( E_1/2 = 0.866 V vs RHE), increasing the mass activity by more than 70% over that of Pt/C in terms of the total mass of Pt and Pd and by 14 times if only Pt is considered. Simple geometrical calculations, based on spherical core-shell models, indicate that Pd-Fe@Pt has a surface Pt decoration rather than a complete Pt monolayer. Such calculations applied to other examples in the literature point out the need for careful and rigorous arguments about claimed "Pt monolayer/multilayers". Such calculations must be based on not only elemental mapping data but also on the Pt/Pd and other metal atomic ratios in the precursors. Our analysis predicts a minimal Pt/Pd atomic ratio in order to achieve a complete Pt monolayer on the surface of the core materials.

One-pot synthesis of a PtPd dendritic nanocube cage superstructure on graphenes as advanced catalysts for oxygen reduction

How to use Pt economically and efficiently in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of theoretical and practical significance for the industrialization of the proton-exchange membrane fuel cells. In order to minimize Pt consumption and optimize the ORR performance, the ORR catalysts are recommended to be designed as a porous nanostructure. Herein, we report a one-pot solvothermal strategy to prepare PtPd dendritic nanocube cages via a galvanic replacement mechanism triggered by an I^- ion. These PtPd alloy crystals are nanoporous, and uniformly dispersed on reduced graphene oxides (RGOs). The size of the PtPd dendritic nanocube cages can be easily tuned from 20-80 nm by controlling their composition. Their composition is optimized to be 1:5 Pt/Pd atomic ratio for these RGO-supported PtPd dendritic nanocages. This catalyst shows superior ORR performance with a specific activity of 2.01 mA  cm^-2 and a mass activity of 4.45 A  mg^-1 Pt, far above those for Pt/C catalysts (0.288 mA  cm^-2 for specific activity, and 0.21 A  mg^-1 Pt for mass activity). In addition to ORR activity, it also exhibits robust durability with almost negligible decay in ORR mass activity after 10 000 voltammetric cycling.

Surfactant-Free Synthesis of Carbon-Supported Palladium Nanoparticles and Size-Dependent Hydrogen Production from Formic Acid-Formate Solution

Steerable hydrogen generation from the hydrogen storage chemical formic acid via heterogeneous catalysis has attracted considerable interest given the safety and efficiency concerns in handling H₂. Herein, a series of carbon-supported capping-agent-free Pd nanoparticles (NPs) with mean sizes tunable from 2.0 to 5.2 nm are developed due to the demand for more efficient dehydrogenation from a formic acid-formate solution of pH 3.5 at room temperature. The trick for the facile size-controlled synthesis of Pd/C catalysts is the selective addition of Na₂CO₃, NH₃·H₂O, or NaOH to a Pd(II) solution to attain initial pH values of 7-9.5. For comparison, cuboctahedron modeling and electrochemical CO_ads stripping methods are applied to evaluate active surface Pd sites for turnover frequency (TOF) calculation. Both mass activity and specific activity (TOF) of hydrogen production are not only time-dependent but also Pd-size-dependent. An initial H₂ production rate of 246 L·h^-1·g_Pd^-1 is achieved on 2.0 nm Pd/C at 303 K, together with a TOF of 1815 h^-1 on the basis of cuboctahedron modeling of surface-active Pd sites. The initial TOF exhibits a significant rise from 3.5 down to 2.8 nm and then levels off below 2.8 nm and even shows a maxima at ca. 2.2 nm using the electrochemical surface area for calculation. The volcano-shaped dependence of TOF on Pd NP size may be better attributed to the changing ratios of terrace sites to defect sites on Pd NPs.

Multimetallic Hierarchical Aerogels: Shape Engineering of the Building Blocks for Efficient Electrocatalysis

A new class of multimetallic hierarchical aerogels composed entirely of interconnected Ni-Pd_x Pt_y nano-building-blocks with in situ engineered morphologies and compositions is demonstrated. The underlying mechanism of the galvanic shape-engineering is elucidated in terms of nanowelding of intermediate nanoparticles. The hierarchical aerogels integrate two levels of porous structures, leading to improved electrocatalysis performance.

Atomic-Level-Designed Catalytically Active Palladium Atoms on Ultrathin Gold Nanowires

A Ag monolayer facilitates the deposition of isolated Pd atoms rather than continuous ones on ultrathin Au nanowires. During the hydrogenation of nitrophenol and the electrooxidation of ethanol, these two groups of Pd atoms show distinctive but geometry-dependent catalytic activity. This new atomic geometry maneuvering strategy is ready for the atomically precise design of nanocatalysts.

Development of a New Generation of Stable, Tunable, and Catalytically Active Nanoparticles Produced by the Helium Nanodroplet Deposition Method

Nanoparticles (NPs) are revolutionizing many areas of science and technology, often delivering unprecedented improvements to properties of the conventional materials. However, despite important advances in NPs synthesis and applications, numerous challenges still remain. Development of alternative synthetic method capable of producing very uniform, extremely clean and very stable NPs is urgently needed. If successful, such method can potentially transform several areas of nanoscience, including environmental and energy related catalysis. Here we present the first experimental demonstration of catalytically active NPs synthesis achieved by the helium nanodroplet isolation method. This alternative method of NPs fabrication and deposition produces narrowly distributed, clean, and remarkably stable NPs. The fabrication is achieved inside ultralow temperature, superfluid helium nanodroplets, which can be subsequently deposited onto any substrate. This technique is universal enough to be applied to nearly any element, while achieving high deposition rates for single element as well as composite core-shell NPs.

Highly Selective Oxidation of Carbohydrates in an Efficient Electrochemical Energy Converter: Cogenerating Organic Electrosynthesis

The selective electrochemical conversion of highly functionalized organic molecules into electricity, heat, and added-value chemicals for fine chemistry requires the development of highly selective, durable, and low-cost catalysts. Here, we propose an approach to make catalysts that can convert carbohydrates into chemicals selectively and produce electrical power and recoverable heat. A 100% Faradaic yield was achieved for the selective oxidation of the anomeric carbon of glucose and its related carbohydrates (C1-position) without any function protection. Furthermore, the direct glucose fuel cell (DGFC) enables an open-circuit voltage of 1.1 V in 0.5 m NaOH to be reached, a record. The optimized DGFC delivers an outstanding output power Pmax =2 mW cm(-2) with the selective conversion of 0.3 m glucose, which is of great interest for cogeneration. The purified reaction product will serve as a raw material in various industries, which thereby reduces the cost of the whole sustainable process.

Core-shell nanoparticles: synthesis and applications in catalysis and electrocatalysis

Core-shell nanoparticles (CSNs) are a class of nanostructured materials that have recently received increased attention owing to their interesting properties and broad range of applications in catalysis, biology, materials chemistry and sensors. By rationally tuning the cores as well as the shells of such materials, a range of core-shell nanoparticles can be produced with tailorable properties that can play important roles in various catalytic processes and offer sustainable solutions to current energy problems. Various synthetic methods for preparing different classes of CSNs, including the Stöber method, solvothermal method, one-pot synthetic method involving surfactants, etc., are briefly mentioned here. The roles of various classes of CSNs are exemplified for both catalytic and electrocatalytic applications, including oxidation, reduction, coupling reactions, etc.

Multifunctional Ultrathin PdxCu(1-x) and Pt∼PdxCu(1-x) One-Dimensional Nanowire Motifs for Various Small Molecule Oxidation Reactions

Developing novel electrocatalysts for small molecule oxidation processes, including formic acid oxidation (FAOR), methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), and ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR), denoting the key anodic reactions for their respective fuel cell configurations, is a significant and relevant theme of recent efforts in the field. Herein, in this report, we demonstrated a concerted effort to couple and combine the benefits of small size, anisotropic morphology, and tunable chemical composition in order to devise a novel "family" of functional architectures. In particular, we have fabricated not only ultrathin 1-D Pd(1-x)Cu(x) alloys but also Pt-coated Pd(1-x)Cu(x) (i.e., Pt∼Pd(1-x)Cu(x); herein the ∼ indicates an intimate association, but not necessarily actual bond formation, between the inner bimetallic core and the Pt outer shell) core-shell hierarchical nanostructures with readily tunable chemical compositions by utilizing a facile, surfactant-based, wet chemical synthesis coupled with a Cu underpotential deposition technique. Our main finding is that our series of as-prepared nanowires are functionally flexible. More precisely, we demonstrate that various examples within this "family" of structural motifs can be tailored for exceptional activity with all 3 of these important electrocatalytic reactions. In particular, we note that our series of Pd(1-x)Cu(x) nanowires all exhibit enhanced FAOR activities as compared with not only analogous Pd ultrathin nanowires but also commercial Pt and Pd standards, with Pd9Cu representing the "optimal" composition. Moreover, our group of Pt∼Pd(1-x)Cu(x) nanowires consistently outperformed not only commercial Pt NPs but also ultrathin Pt nanowires by several fold orders of magnitude for both the MOR and EOR reactions in alkaline media. The variation of the MOR and EOR performance with the chemical composition of our ultrathin Pt∼Pd(1-x)Cu(x) nanowires was also discussed.

In Situ Probing of the Active Site Geometry of Ultrathin Nanowires for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

To create truly effective electrocatalysts for the cathodic reaction governing proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), namely the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), necessitates an accurate and detailed structural understanding of these electrocatalysts, especially at the nanoscale, and to precisely correlate that structure with demonstrable performance enhancement. To address this key issue, we have combined and interwoven theoretical calculations with experimental, spectroscopic observations in order to acquire useful structural insights into the active site geometry with implications for designing optimized nanoscale electrocatalysts with rationally predicted properties. Specifically, we have probed ultrathin (∼2 nm) core-shell Pt∼Pd9Au nanowires, which have been previously shown to be excellent candidates for ORR in terms of both activity and long-term stability, from the complementary perspectives of both DFT calculations and X-ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS). The combination and correlation of data from both experimental and theoretical studies has revealed for the first time that the catalytically active structure of our ternary nanowires can actually be ascribed to a PtAu∼Pd configuration, comprising a PtAu binary shell and a pure inner Pd core. Moreover, we have plausibly attributed the resulting structure to a specific synthesis step, namely the Cu underpotential deposition (UPD) followed by galvanic replacement with Pt. Hence, the fundamental insights gained into the performance of our ultrathin nanowires from our demonstrated approach will likely guide future directed efforts aimed at broadly improving upon the durability and stability of nanoscale electrocatalysts in general.

Stabilization of Pt monolayer catalysts under harsh conditions of fuel cells

We employed density functional theory to explore the stability of core (M = Cu, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ag, Os, Ir, Au)-shell (Pt) catalysts under harsh conditions, including solutions and reaction intermediates involved in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in fuel cells. A pseudomorphic surface alloy (PSA) with a Pt monolayer (Pt(1ML)) supported on an M surface, Pt(1ML)/M(111) or (001), was considered as a model system. Different sets of candidate M cores were identified to achieve a stable Pt(1ML) shell depending on the conditions. In vacuum conditions, the Pt1ML shell can be stabilized on the most of M cores except Cu, Ag, and Au. The situation varies under various electrochemical conditions. Depending on the solutions and the operating reaction pathways of the ORR, different M should be considered. Pd and Ir are the only core metals studied, being able to keep the Pt(ML) shell intact in perchloric acid, sulfuric acid, phosphoric acid, and alkaline solutions as well as under the ORR conditions via different pathways. Ru and Os cores should also be paid attention, which only fall during the ORR via the *OOH intermediate. Rh core works well as long as the ORR does not undergo the pathway via *O intermediate. Our results show that PSAs can behave differently from the near surface alloy, Pt(1ML)/M(1ML)/Pt(111), highlighting the importance of considering both chemical environments and the atomic structures in rational design of highly stable core-shell nanocatalysts. Finally, the roles that d-band center of a core M played in determining the stability of supported Pt(1ML) shell were also discussed.

Few-layered graphene-supported palladium as a highly efficient catalyst in oxygen reduction reaction

Prepared by a scalable, low-cost and eco-friendly method, Pd/FLG shows improved ORR performance in alkaline solution with durability and catalytic activity an order of magnitude higher than the state-of the-art Pt/C catalyst.