Unraveling ultrasonic assisted aqueous-phase one-step synthesis of porous PtPdCu nanodendrites for methanol oxidation with a CO-poisoning tolerance

The tailored design of tri-metallic Pt-based porous nanodendrites (PNDs) is crucial for green energy production technologies, ascribed to their fancy features, great surface areas, accessible active sites, and stability against aggregation. However, their aqueous-phase one-step synthesis at room temperature remains a daunting challenge. Herein, we present a facile, green, and template-free approach for the one-step synthesis of PtPdCu PNDs by ultrasonication of an aqueous solution of metal salts and Pluronic F127 at 25 ℃, based on natural isolation among nucleation and growth step driven by the disparate reduction kinetics of the metals and acoustic cavitation mechanism of ultrasonic waves. The resultant PtPdCu PNDs formed in a spatial nanodendritic shape with a dense array of branches, open corners, interconnected pores, high surface area (46.9 m²/g), and high Cu content (21 %). The methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) mass activity of PtPdCu PNDs (3.66 mA/µg_Pt) is 1.45, 2.73, and 2.83 times higher than those of PtPd PNDs, PtCu PNDs, and commercial Pt/C, respectively based on equivalent Pt mass, which is superior to previous PtPdCu catalysts reported elsewhere, besides a superior durability and CO-poisoning tolerance. This study may pave the way for the controlled fabrication of ternary Pt-based PNDs for various electrocatalytic applications.

One-pot production of a sea urchin-like alloy electrocatalyst for the oxygen electro-reduction reaction

Designing a cost-effective catalyst with high performance towards the oxygen electro-oxidation reaction (ORR) is of great interest for the development of green energy storage and conversion technologies. We report herein a facile self-assembly strategy in a mild reducing environment to realize an urchin-like NiPt bimetallic alloy with the domination of the (111) facets as an efficient ORR electrocatalyst. In the rotating-disk electrode test, the as-obtained NiPt nanourchins (NUCs)/C catalyst demonstrates an increase in both onset potential (0.96 V_RHE) and half-wave potential (0.92 V_RHE) and a direct four-electron ORR pathway with enhanced reaction kinetics. Additionally, the as-made NiPt NUCs/C electrocatalyst also shows impressive ORR catalytic stability compared to a commercial Pt NPs/C catalyst after an accelerated durability test with 15.29% degradation in mass activity, which is 3.04-times lower than 46.48% of the Pt NPs/C catalyst. The great ORR performance of the as-made catalyst is due to its unique urchin-like morphology with the dominant (111) facets and the synergistic and electronic effects of alloying Ni and Pt. This study not only provides a robust ORR electrocatalyst, but also opens a facile but effective route for fabricating 3D Pt-based binary and ternary alloy catalysts.

Heterogeneous Trimetallic Nanoparticles as Catalysts

The development and application of trimetallic nanoparticles continues to accelerate rapidly as a result of advances in materials design, synthetic control, and reaction characterization. Following the technological successes of multicomponent materials in automotive exhausts and photovoltaics, synergistic effects are now accessible through the careful preparation of multielement particles, presenting exciting opportunities in the field of catalysis. In this review, we explore the methods currently used in the design, synthesis, analysis, and application of trimetallic nanoparticles across both the experimental and computational realms and provide a critical perspective on the emergent field of trimetallic nanocatalysts. Trimetallic nanoparticles are typically supported on high-surface-area metal oxides for catalytic applications, synthesized via preparative conditions that are comparable to those applied for mono- and bimetallic nanoparticles. However, controlled elemental segregation and subsequent characterization remain challenging because of the heterogeneous nature of the systems. The multielement composition exhibits beneficial synergy for important oxidation, dehydrogenation, and hydrogenation reactions; in some cases, this is realized through higher selectivity, while activity improvements are also observed. However, challenges related to identifying and harnessing influential characteristics for maximum productivity remain. Computation provides support for the experimental endeavors, for example in electrocatalysis, and a clear need is identified for the marriage of simulation, with respect to both combinatorial element screening and optimal reaction design, to experiment in order to maximize productivity from this nascent field. Clear challenges remain with respect to identifying, making, and applying trimetallic catalysts efficiently, but the foundations are now visible, and the outlook is strong for this exciting chemical field.

Synthesis and potential applications of trimetallic nanostructures

The present review highlights the synthetic strategies and potential applications of TMNs for organic reactions, environmental remediation, and health-related activities.

Sr2NiWO6 Double Perovskite Oxide as a Novel Visible-Light-Responsive Water Oxidation Photocatalyst

Screening of stable visible-light-responsive water oxidation semiconductor photocatalysts is highly desired for the development of photocatalytic water splitting systems. Herein, a visible-light-absorbing Sr₂NiWO₆ double perovskite oxide photocatalyst was successfully prepared via a conventional solid-state reaction method. The intrinsic Sr₂NiWO₆ shows photocatalytic oxygen evaluation reaction (OER) activity of 60 μmol h^-1 g^-1, even without loading any cocatalysts. The DFT calculation indicates that the Ni species on the surface is the active site for the OER. The photocatalytic OER activity was further improved by loading Pt and RuO₂ dual redox cocatalysts on the surface of Sr₂NiWO₆ to achieve a photocatalytic OER activity of 420 μmol h^-1 g^-1, which corresponds to a remarkable apparent quantum efficiency (AQE) of 8.6% (λ ≈ 420 nm). The result indicates that Sr₂NiWO₆ is one of the best double perovskite oxide-based photocatalysts for the photocatalytic OER, and the activity is even comparable to the benchmark BiVO₄-based photocatalyst. The improvement of the photocatalytic OER activity is due to the provision of more active redox sites as well as the synergetic effect of the dual redox cocatalysts in facilitating charge separation and transfer. This work demonstrates that double perovskite oxides may serve as a novel class of efficient and stable oxide-based semiconductor photocatalysts for water splitting.

Unraveling template-free fabrication of carbon nitride nanorods codoped with Pt and Pd for efficient electrochemical and photoelectrochemical carbon monoxide oxidation at room temperature

The tailored synthesis of carbon nitrides (CNs) is of particular interest in multidisciplinary catalytic applications. However, their fabrication in the form of one-dimensional (1D) nanorods for electrocatalytic carbon monoxide (CO) oxidation is not hitherto reported. Herein, a facile roadmap is presented for the rational design of Pt- and Pd-codoped CN (PtPd/CNs) nanorods via protonation of melamine in an ethylene glycol solution containing Pt and Pd precursors using NaNO3 and HCl and subsequent annealing. The protonation induces the polymerization of melamine to melon nanosheets that consequently roll up to CN nanorods. This tailored the prompt high mass production of uniform 1D CN nanorods (94 ± 2 nm) with a high surface area (155.2 m2 g-1) and they were atomically codoped with Pt and Pd (1.5 wt%) without a template and/or multiple complicated steps. The electrocatalytic CO oxidation activity of PtPd/CNs is 2.01 and 23.41 times greater than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst and metal-free CNs, respectively, at room temperature. Meanwhile, the UV-vis light irradiation enhanced the CO oxidation activity of PtPd/CNs nanorods by 1.48 fold compared to that in the dark, emanated from the coupling between the drastic inbuilt catalytic merits of PtPd and the inimitable physicochemical properties of CNs. The presented study may pave the way for using CN-based materials in gas conversion reactions.

Trimetallic signal amplification aptasensor for TSP-1 detection based on Ce-MOF@Au and AuPtRu nanocomposites

In this work, an aptamer was used as the target capturing agent and a trimetallic signal amplification strategy based on Ce-MOF@Au and AuPtRu NPs was demonstrated for the sensitive detection of TSP-1. Herein, the synthesized AuPtRu nanocomposite (AuPtRu NPs) not only acts as the catalyst for catalyzing hydrogen peroxide but also acts as a nanocarrier for capturing the -NH₂ termination single strand DNA (S1) to obtain the signal probe (SP, AuPtRu nanocomposite/S1). Then, SP was efficiently linked into TSP-1 aptamers with the addition of complementary linking strands to form M1 (SP/aptamer). The Ce-MOF@Au nanocomposites were obtained by in situ reduction and used as GCE electrode modification materials. The -NH₂-modified capture probe (CP) DNA was immobilized on the surface of Ce-MOF@Au nanocomposites for hybridizing SP. In the presence of the target TSP-1, the aptamer recognizes the target and binds strongly so that SP is released from the prepared M1 and then hybridized with CP. When the detection solution contains an electrochemical matrix of H₂O₂, AuPtRu NPs can oxidize H₂O₂ to obtain an enhanced signal. Furthermore, the proposed aptasensor has a very low LOD of 0.13 fg mL^-1 TSP-1 in the detection range of 1 fg mL^-1 to 10 ng mL^-1. Moreover, the proposed platform also has application implications for other potential targets.

Trimetallic PtPdCu nanowires as an electrocatalyst for methanol and formic acid oxidation

PtPdCu nanowires show enhanced electrocatalytic activity and stability compared to their bimetallic counterparts and commercial Pt/C.

Controlled design of PtPd nanodendrite ornamented niobium oxynitride nanosheets for solar-driven water splitting

A facile road-map is developed for one-pot synthesis of PtPd nanodendrite ornamented niobium oxynitride nanosheets for efficient solar-driven water splitting.

Rational one-step synthesis of porous PtPdRu nanodendrites for ethanol oxidation reaction with a superior tolerance for CO-poisoning

Precise fabrication of porous ternary Pt-based nanodendrites is very important for electrochemical energy conversion owing to high surface area and great molecular accessibility of these nanodendrites. Herein, PtPdRu porous nanodendrites (PNDs) were prepared via a facile one-step ultrasonic irradiation approach at room temperature. Intriguingly, the ultrasonic irradiation drove the formation of PtPdRu PNDs with spatially interconnected porous structures, whereas magnetic stirring produced PtPdRu nanoflowers (NFs) with less porosity. The formation mechanism was ascribed to the acoustic cavitation effect and fast-reduction kinetics under sonication. The as-made PtPdRu PNDs displayed a superior catalytic performance towards ethanol oxidation reaction with a high tolerance for CO-poisoning as compared to PtPdRu NFs, PtPd NDs, and commercial Pt/C catalyst.

One-pot synthesis of PtRu nanodendrites as efficient catalysts for methanol oxidation reaction

Bimetallic Pt-based nanodendrites are of particular interest in various catalytic applications due to their high surface areas and low densities. Herein, we provide a facile method for one-pot synthesis of PtRu nanodendrites via the co-reduction of Pt and Ru precursors in oleylamine by H₂. The as-fabricated PtRu nanodendrites exhibit superior catalytic activity and durability compared with PtRu nanocrystals (NCs), synthesized under the same reaction conditions, and the commercial Pt/C catalyst towards the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR).

Rational design of porous binary Pt-based nanodendrites as efficient catalysts for direct glucose fuel cells over a wide pH range

Porous binary PtPd, AuPt, PtCu, and PtNi nanodendrites prepared by a facile one-step reduction under ultrasonic irradiation at room temperature, exhibited a substantial catalytic activity towards glucose oxidation reaction at different pH values relative to a commercial Pt/C catalyst.

Facile synthesis of Pd-decorated Pt/Ru networks with highly improved activity for methanol electrooxidation in alkaline media

Electrocatalytic activity toward methanol oxidation is greatly enhanced after partial replacement of Ru with Pd in Pt/Ru/Pd networks.

Gaseous NH3 Confers Porous Pt Nanodendrites Assisted by Halides

Tailoring the morphology of Pt nanocrystals (NCs) is of great concern for their enhancement in catalytic activity and durability. In this article, a novel synthetic strategy is developed to selectively prepare porous dendritic Pt NCs with different structures for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) assisted by NH₃ gas and halides (F⁻, Cl⁻, Br⁻). The NH₃ gas plays critical roles on tuning the morphology. Previously, H₂ and CO gas are reported to assist the shape control of metallic nanocrystals. This is the first demonstration that NH₃ gas assists the Pt anisotropic growth. The halides also play important role in the synthetic strategy to regulate the formation of Pt NCs. As-made porous dendritic Pt NCs, especially when NH₄F is used as a regulating reagent, show superior catalytic activity for ORR compared with commercial Pt/C catalyst and other previously reported Pt-based NCs.

Facile Synthesis of Porous Dendritic Bimetallic Platinum-Nickel Nanocrystals as Efficient Catalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Certain bimetallic nanocrystals (NCs) possess promising catalytic properties for electrochemical energy conversion. Herein, we report a facile method for the one-step synthesis of porous dendritic PtNi NCs in aqueous solution at room temperature that contrasts with the traditional multistep thermal decomposition approach. The dendritic PtNi NCs assembled by interconnected arms are efficient catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction. This direct and efficient method is favorable for the up-scaled synthesis of active catalysts used in electrochemical applications.

Shape-controlled synthesis of porous AuPt nanoparticles and their superior electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction

Control of structure and morphology of Pt-based nanomaterials is of great importance for electrochemical energy conversions. In this work, we report an efficient one-step synthesis of bimetallic porous AuPt nanoparticles (PAuPt NPs) in an aqueous solution. The proposed synthesis is performed by a simple stirring treatment of an aqueous reactive mixture including K₂PtCl₄, HAuCl₄, Pluronic F127 and ascorbic acid at a pH value of 1 without organic solvent or high temperature. Due to their porous structure and bimetallic composition, as-made PAuPt NPs exhibit excellent electrocatalytic activity for oxygen reduction reaction.

Ternary Pt@Pd@Ru nanodendrite-decorated graphene oxide for sensitive electrochemical immunoassy of CEA

Nobel metal nanoparticles have attracted intense attentions in biological immunoassay due to the inhereted good catalytic activity.

Three-dimensional highly branched Pd3Cu alloy multipods as enhanced electrocatalysts for formic acid oxidation

Pd₃Cu alloy multipods with three-dimensional highly branched morphology were synthesized, which presents enhanced catalytic performance toward formic acid oxidation.

One-step synthesis of porous bimetallic PtCu nanocrystals with high electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation reaction

The design of porous bimetallic nanocrystals (NCs) is very important for electrochemical energy conversion. Herein, we report an aqueous solution method for one-step fabrication of porous PtCu NCs assembled by spatially interconnected arms in high yield by a simple ultrasonic treatment of the reaction mixture at room temperature. The proposed method, without the need for multi-step synthesis, high temperatures, and organic solvents, shows an obvious advantage of simplicity for the feasible synthesis of bimetallic PtCu NCs with a porous structure. The as-made porous PtCu NCs are highly active and durable catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction due to their porous structure and bimetallic composition.

PtCu nanodendrite-assisted synthesis of PtPdCu concave nanooctahedra for efficient electrocatalytic methanol oxidation

PtPdCu alloy concave nanooctahedra show superior electrocatalytic activity and durability for the methanol oxidation reaction.