Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Enhanced electrocatalytic performance of ultrathin PtNi alloy nanowires for oxygen reduction reaction

  • Research Article
  • Published:
Frontiers in Energy Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

In this paper, ultrathin Pt nanowires (Pt NWs) and PtNi alloy nanowires (PtNi NWs) supported on carbon were synthesized as electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Pt and PtNi NWs catalysts composed of interconnected nanoparticles were prepared by using a soft template method with CTAB as the surface active agent. The physical characterization and electrocatalytic performance of Pt NWs and PtNi NWs catalysts for ORR were investigated and the results were compared with the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The atomic ratio of Pt and Ni in PtNi alloy was approximately 3 to 1. The results show that after alloying with Ni, the binding energy of Pt shifts to higher values, indicating the change of its electronic structure, and that Pt3Ni NWs catalyst has a significantly higher electrocatalytic activity and good stability for ORR as compared to Pt NWs and even Pt/C catalyst. The enhanced electrocatalytic activity of Pt3Ni NWs catalyst is mainly resulted from the downshifted-band center of Pt caused by the interaction between Pt and Ni in the alloy, which facilitates the desorption of oxygen containing species (Oads or OHads) and the release of active sites.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Debe M K. Electrocatalyst approaches and challenges for automotive fuel cells. Nature, 2012, 486(7401): 43–51

    Article  Google Scholar 

  2. Tang Q, Jiang L, Jiang Q, Wang S, Sun G. Enhanced activity and stability of a Au decorated Pt/PdCo/C electrocatalyst toward oxygen reduction reaction. Electrochimica Acta, 2012, 77(9): 104–110

    Article  Google Scholar 

  3. Bele M, Jovanovic P, Pavlisic A, Jozinovic B, Zorko M, Recnik A, Chernyshova E, Hocevar S, Hodnik N, Gaberscek M. A highly active PtCu3 intermetallic core-shell, multilayered Pt-skin, carbon embedded electrocatalyst produced by a scale-up sol-gel synthesis. Chemical Communications, 2014, 50(86): 13124–13126

    Article  Google Scholar 

  4. Zhang J, Sasaki K, Sutter E, Adzic R R. Stabilization of platinum oxygen-reduction electrocatalysts using gold clusters. Science, 2007, 315(5809): 220–222

    Article  Google Scholar 

  5. Wang Y J, Zhao N N, Fang B Z, Li H, Bi X T T,Wang H J. Carbonsupported Pt-based alloy electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction in polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells: particle size, shape, and composition manipulation and their impact to activity. Chemical Reviews, 2015, 115(9): 3433–3467

    Article  Google Scholar 

  6. Chen Z W, Higgins D, Yu A P, Zhang L, Zhang J J. A review on non-precious metal electrocatalysts for PEM fuel cells. Energy & Environmental Science, 2011, 4(9): 3167–3192

    Article  Google Scholar 

  7. Zheng Y, Jiao Y, Jaroniec M, Jin Y G, Qiao S Z. Nanostructured metal-free electrochemical catalysts for highly efficient oxygen reduction. Small, 2012, 8(23): 3550–3566

    Article  Google Scholar 

  8. Bai Y Z, Yi B L, Li J, Jiang S F, Zhang H J, Shao Z G, Song Y J. A high performance non-noble metal electrocatalyst for the oxygen reduction reaction derived from a metal organic framework. Chinese Journal of Catalysis, 2016, 37(7): 1127–1133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  9. Greeley J, Mavrikakis M. Alloy catalysts designed from first principles. Nature Materials, 2004, 3(11): 810–815

    Article  Google Scholar 

  10. Wu J B, Yang H. Platinum-based oxygen reduction electrocatalysts. Accounts of Chemical Research, 2013, 46(8): 1848–1857

    Article  Google Scholar 

  11. Zhang J, Mo Y, Vukmirovic M B, Klie R, Sasaki K, Adzic R R. Platinum monolayer electrocatalysts for O2 reduction: Pt monolayer on Pd(111) and on carbon-supported Pd nanoparticles. Journal of Physical Chemistry B Materials Surfaces Interfaces Amp Biophysical, 2004, 108(30): 10955–10964

    Google Scholar 

  12. Zhang J L, Vukmirovic M B, Xu Y, Mavrikakis M, Adzic R R. Controlling the catalytic activity of platinum-monolayer electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction with different substrates. Angewandte Chemie, 2005, 44(14): 2132–2135

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Zhu H Y, Zhang S, Guo S J, Su D, Sun S H. Synthetic control of FePtM nanorods (M = Cu, Ni) to enhance the oxygen reduction reaction. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2013, 135(19): 7130–7133

    Article  Google Scholar 

  14. You H J, Yang S C, Ding B J, Yang H. Synthesis of colloidal metal and metal alloy nanoparticles for electrochemical energy applications. ChemInform, 2013, 42(7): 2880–2904

    Google Scholar 

  15. Zhao X, Yin M, Ma L, Liang L, Liu C P, Liao J H, Lu T H, Xing W. Recent advances in catalysts for direct methanol fuel cells. Energy & Environmental Science, 2011, 4(8): 2736–2753

    Article  Google Scholar 

  16. Li Y J, Chen L, Chen K, Quan F X, Chen C F. Monodisperse PdCu@PtCu Core@Shell nanocrystal and their high activity and durability for oxygen reduction reaction. Electrochimica Acta, 2016, 192: 227–233

    Article  Google Scholar 

  17. Wang G, Huang B, Xiao L, Ren Z, Chen H, Wang D, Abruña H D, Lu J, Zhuang L. Pt skin on AuCu intermetallic substrate: a strategy to maximize Pt utilization for fuel cells. Journal of the American Chemical Society, 2014, 136(27): 9643–9649

    Article  Google Scholar 

  18. Huang X Q, Zhao Z P, Chen Y, Zhu E B, Li M F, Duan X F, Huang Y. A rational design of carbon-supported dispersive Pt-based octahedra as efficient oxygen reduction reaction catalysts. Energy & Environmental Science, 2014, 7(9): 2957–2962

    Article  Google Scholar 

  19. Huang X Q, Zhao Z P, Cao L, Chen Y, Zhu E B, Lin Z Y, Li M F, Yan A M, Zettl A, Wang Y M, Duan X F, Mueller T, Huang Y. High-performance transition metal-doped Pt3Ni octahedra for oxygen reduction reaction. Science, 2015, 348(6240): 1230–1234

    Article  Google Scholar 

  20. Chen C, Kang Y J, Huo Z Y, Zhu Z W, Huang W Y, Xin H L L, Snyder J D, Li D G, Herron J A, Mavrikakis M, Chi M F, More K L, Li Y D, Markovic N M, Somorjai G A, Yang P D, Stamenkovic V R. Highly crystalline multimetallic nanoframes with three-dimensional electrocatalytic surfaces. Science, 2014, 343(6177): 1339–1343

    Article  Google Scholar 

  21. Yang H Z, Zhang J, Sun K, Zou S Z, Fang J Y. Enhancing by weakening: electrooxidation of methanol on Pt3Co and Pt nanocubes. Angewandte Chemie International Edition in English, 2010, 49(38): 6848–6851

    Article  Google Scholar 

  22. Wang S Y, Jiang S P, Wang X, Guo J. Enhanced electrochemical activity of Pt nanowire network electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction of fuel cells. Electrochimica Acta, 2011, 56(3): 1563–1569

    Article  Google Scholar 

  23. Pozio A, de Francesco M, Cemmi A, Cardellini F, Giorgi L. Comparison of high surface Pt/C catalysts by cyclic voltammetry. Journal of Power Sources, 2002, 105(1): 13–19

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Stamenkovic V R, Fowler B, Mun B S, Wang G F, Ross P N, Lucas C A, Markovic N M. Improved oxygen reduction activity on Pt3Ni (111) via increased surface site availability. Science, 2007, 315 (5811): 493–497

    Article  Google Scholar 

  25. Bu L Z, Zhang N, Guo S J, Zhang X, Li J, Yao J L, Wu T, Lu G, Ma J Y, Su D, Huang X Q. Biaxially strained PtPb/Pt core/shell nanoplate boosts oxygen reduction catalysis. Science, 2016, 354 (6318): 1410–1414

    Article  Google Scholar 

  26. Suo Y G, Zhuang L, Lu J T. First-principles considerations in the design of Pd-alloy catalysts for oxygen reduction. Angewandte Chemie, 2007, 46(16): 2862–2864

    Article  Google Scholar 

  27. Jayasayee K, van Veen J A R, Manivasagam T G, Celebi S, Hensen E J M, de Bruijn F A. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability of carbon supported PtM (Co, Ni, Cu) alloys: influence of particle size and non-noble metals. Applied Catalysis B: Environmental, 2012, 111–112(2): 515–526

    Article  Google Scholar 

  28. Wang D S, Li Y D. Bimetallic nanocrystals: liquid-phase synthesis and catalytic applications. Advanced Materials, 2011, 23(9): 1044–1060

    Article  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgements

This work is financially supported by The National Key Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2016YFB0101208) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.U1508202 and No.61433013).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Fuel Cell System and Engineering Laboratory, Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dalian, 116023, China

    Hongjie Zhang, Yachao Zeng, Longsheng Cao, Limeng Yang, Dahui Fang, Baolian Yi & Zhigang Shao

  2. University of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100039, China

    Hongjie Zhang, Yachao Zeng, Longsheng Cao, Limeng Yang & Dahui Fang

Authors
  1. Hongjie Zhang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Yachao Zeng
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Longsheng Cao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Limeng Yang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Dahui Fang
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. Baolian Yi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  7. Zhigang Shao
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Zhigang Shao.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zhang, H., Zeng, Y., Cao, L. et al. Enhanced electrocatalytic performance of ultrathin PtNi alloy nanowires for oxygen reduction reaction. Front. Energy 11, 260–267 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-017-0499-x

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11708-017-0499-x

Keywords

Search

Navigation