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Layer-controlled Pt-Ni porous nanobowls with enhanced electrocatalytic performance

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Abstract

Hollow and porous Pt-based nanomaterials are promising catalysts with applications in many sustainable energy technologies such as fuel cells. Economical and green synthetic routes are highly desirable. Here, we report a facile approach to prepare double- and single-layered Pt-Ni nanobowls (DLNBs and SLNBs) with porous shells. Microstructural analysis revealed that the shells were constructed of alloyed Pt-Ni nanocrystals and small amounts of Ni compounds. X-ray photoelectron spectra showed that their Pt 4f binding energies shifted in the negative direction compared to those of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. Furthermore, the DLNBs contained greater contents of oxidized Ni species than the SLNBs. The layer-controlled growth processes were confirmed by microscopy, and a formation mechanism was proposed based on the assistance of citrate and poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). For the methanol oxidation reaction, the DLNBs and SLNBs exhibited 2.9 and 2.5 times higher mass activities than that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively. The activity enhancements were attributed to electronic effects and a bifunctional mechanism. Chronoamperometry and prolonged cyclic voltammetry indicated that the Pt-Ni bowl-like structures had better electrochemical properties and structural stability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst, thus making the Pt-Ni nanobowls excellent electrocatalysts for use in direct methanol fuel cells.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 51371015 and 51331002), the Beijing Natural Science Foundation (No. 2142018) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No. FRF-BR-15-009B).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Physics, Beihang University, Beijing, 100191, China

    Hongsheng Fan, Ming Cheng & Zhenlei Wang

  2. School of Mathematics and Physics, University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing, 100083, China

    Rongming Wang

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  1. Hongsheng Fan
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  2. Ming Cheng
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Correspondence to Rongming Wang.

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Fan, H., Cheng, M., Wang, Z. et al. Layer-controlled Pt-Ni porous nanobowls with enhanced electrocatalytic performance. Nano Res. 10, 187–198 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-016-1277-5

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