Oleylamine Aging of PtNi Nanoparticles Giving Enhanced Functionality for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction.

ABSTRACT: We report a rapid solution-phase strategy to synthesize alloyed PtNi nanoparticles which demonstrate outstanding functionality for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This one-pot coreduction colloidal synthesis results in a monodisperse population of single-crystal nanoparticles of rhombic dodecahedral morphology with Pt-enriched edges and compositions close to Pt₁Ni₂. We use nanoscale 3D compositional analysis to reveal for the first time that oleylamine (OAm)-aging of the rhombic dodecahedral Pt₁Ni₂ particles results in Ni leaching from surface facets, producing aged particles with concave faceting, an exceptionally high surface area, and a composition of Pt₂Ni₁. We show that the modified atomic nanostructures catalytically outperform the original PtNi rhombic dodecahedral particles by more than two-fold and also yield improved cycling durability. Their functionality for the ORR far exceeds commercially available Pt/C nanoparticle electrocatalysts, both in terms of mass-specific activities (up to a 25-fold increase) and intrinsic area-specific activities (up to a 27-fold increase).

SUBMITTER: Leteba GM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8289299 | biostudies-literature | 2021 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature