Composition Tunability and (111)-Dominant Facets of Ultrathin Platinum–Gold Alloy Nanowires toward Enhanced Electrocatalysis

• DOI: 10.1021/jacs.6b05187
• Publication Date: 2016-09-12T15:56:46Z
• Authors: Fangfang Chang; Shiyao Shan; Valeri Petkov; Zakiya Skeete; Aolin Lu; Jonathan Ravid; Jinfang Wu; Jin Luo; Gang Yu; Yang Ren; Chuan-Jian Zhong
• Keywords: Gold alloys

The ability for tuning not only the composition but also type of surface facets alloyed nanomaterials is important design catalysts with enhanced activity and stability through optimizing both ensemble ligand effects. Herein we report first example ultrathin platinum–gold alloy nanowires (PtAu NWs) featuring composition-tunable (111) facet-dominant characteristics, electrocatalytic enhancement oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). PtAu NWs different bimetallic compositions synthesized by a single-phase surfactant-free method are shown to display an alloyed, parallel-bundled structure in which individual exhibit Boerdijk–Coxeter helix morphology predominant facets. Results have revealed intriguing catalytic correlation binary composition, exhibiting maximum at Pt:Au ratio ∼3:1. As high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction atomic pair distribution function analysis, this clear shrinkage interatomic bonding distances. In comparison nanoparticles similar degree shrinking atomic-pair distances, remarkably higher stability. outperformance over attributed (111)-type on balancing contribution effects, addition synergy due optimal adsorption energies molecular species as supported DFT computation models catalysts. findings open up new pathway engineering nanocatalysts durability.