Structural and Electronic Effects of Carbon‐Supported PtxPd1−x Nanoparticles on the Electrocatalytic Activity of the Oxygen‐Reduction Reaction and on Methanol Tolerance

We report a systematic investigation on the structural and electronic effects of carbon‐supported Pt_xPd_1?x bimetallic nanoparticles on the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in acid electrolyte. Pt_xPd_1?x/C nanocatalysts with various Pt/Pd atomic ratios (x=0.25, 0.5, and 0.75) were synthesized by using a borohydride‐reduction method. Rotating‐disk electrode measurements revealed that the Pt₃Pd₁/C nanocatalyst has a synergistic effect on the ORR, showing 50 % enhancement, and an antagonistic effect on the MOR, showing 90 % reduction, relative to JM 20 Pt/C on a mass basis. The extent of alloying and Pt d‐band vacancies of the Pt_xPd_1?x/C nanocatalysts were explored by extended X‐ray absorption fine‐structure spectroscopy (EXAFS) and X‐ray absorption near‐edge structure spectroscopy (XANES). The structure–activity relationship indicates that ORR activity and methanol tolerance of the nanocatalysts strongly depend on their extent of alloying and d‐band vacancies. The optimal composition for enhanced ORR activity is Pt₃Pd₁/C, with high extent of alloying and low Pt d‐band vacancies, owing to favorable O? O scission and inhibited formation of oxygenated intermediates. MOR activity also shows structure dependence. For example, Pt₁Pd₃/C with Pt_rich?corePd_rich?shell structure possesses lower MOR activity than the Pt₃Pd₁/C nanocatalyst with random alloy structure. Herein, extent of alloying and d‐band vacancies reveal new insights into the synergistic and antagonistic effects of the Pt_xPd_1?x/C nanocatalysts on surface reactivity.     

Synthesis of Ni–Ru Alloy Nanoparticles and Their High Catalytic Activity in Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane

We report the synthesis and characterization of new Ni_xRu_1?x (x=0.56–0.74) alloy nanoparticles (NPs) and their catalytic activity for hydrogen release in the ammonia borane hydrolysis process. The alloy NPs were obtained by wet‐chemistry method using a rapid lithium triethylborohydride reduction of Ni²⁺ and Ru³⁺ precursors in oleylamine. The nature of each alloy sample was fully characterized by TEM, XRD, energy dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy (EDX), and X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We found that the as‐prepared Ni–Ru alloy NPs exhibited exceptional catalytic activity for the ammonia borane hydrolysis reaction for hydrogen release. All Ni–Ru alloy NPs, and in particular the Ni_0.74Ru_0.26 sample, outperform the activity of similar size monometallic Ni and Ru NPs, and even of Ni@Ru core‐shell NPs. The hydrolysis activation energy for the Ni_0.74Ru_0.26 alloy catalyst was measured to be approximately 37 kJ mol^?1. This value is considerably lower than the values measured for monometallic Ni (≈70 kJ mol^?1) and Ru NPs (≈49 kJ mol^?1), and for Ni@Ru (≈44 kJ mol^?1), and is also lower than the values of most noble‐metal‐containing bimetallic NPs reported in the literature. Thus, a remarkable improvement of catalytic activity of Ru in the dehydrogenation of ammonia borane was obtained by alloying Ru with a Ni, which is a relatively cheap metal.     

From Adlayer Islands to Surface Alloy: Structural and Chemical Changes on Bimetallic PtRu/Ru(0001) Surfaces

The correlation between structural and chemical properties of bimetallic PtRu/Ru(0001) model catalysts and their modification upon stepwise annealing of a submonolayer Pt‐covered Ru(0001) surface up to the formation of an equilibrated Pt_xRu_1?x/Ru(0001) monolayer surface alloy was investigated by scanning tunneling microscopy and by the adsorption of CO and D₂ probe molecules. Both temperature‐programmed desorption and IR measurements demonstrate the influence of the surface structure on the adsorption properties of the bimetallic surface, which can be explained by changes of the composition of the adsorption ensembles (ensemble effects) for D adsorption and by changes in the electronic interaction (ligand effects, strain effects) of the metallic constituents for CO and D adsorption upon alloy formation.     

Nanoporous PtRu Alloys with Unique Catalytic Activity toward Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane

Nanoporous (NP) PtRu alloys with three different bimetallic components were straightforwardly fabricated by dealloying PtRuAl ternary alloys in hydrochloric acid. Selective etching of aluminum from source alloys generates bicontinuous network nanostructures with uniform size and structure. The as‐made NP‐PtRu alloys exhibit superior catalytic activity toward the hydrolytic dehydrogenation of ammonia borane (AB) than pure NP‐Pt and NP‐Ru owing to alloying platinum with ruthenium. The NP‐Pt₇₀Ru₃₀ alloy exhibits much higher specific activity toward hydrolytic dehydrogenation of AB than NP‐Pt₃₀Ru₇₀ and NP‐Pt₅₀Ru₅₀. The hydrolysis activation energy of NP‐Pt₇₀Ru₃₀ was estimated to be about 38.9 kJ mol^?1, which was lower than most of the reported activation energy values in the literature. In addition, recycling tests show that the NP‐Pt₇₀Ru₃₀ is still highly active in the hydrolysis of AB even after five runs, which indicates that NP‐PtRu alloy accompanied by the network nanoarchitecture is beneficial to improve structural stability toward the dehydrogenation of AB.     

Structure Evolution and Associated Catalytic Properties of PtSn Bimetallic Nanoparticles

Bimetallic nanoparticles (NPs) often show new catalytic properties that are different from those of the parent metals. Carefully exploring the structures of bimetallic NPs is a prerequisite for understanding the structure‐associated properties. Herein, binary Pt?Sn NPs with tunable composition are prepared in a controllable manner. X‐ray characterizations reveal that their structures evolve from SnO_2?x‐patched PtSn alloys to SnO_2?x‐patched Pt clusters when more tin is incorporated. An obvious composition‐dependent catalytic performance is observed for the hydrogenation of α,β‐unsaturated aldehydes: the selectivity to unsaturated alcohol increases substantially at high tin content, whereas the reaction rate follows a volcano shape. Furthermore, Pt sites are responsible for hydrogen dissociation, whereas oxygen vacancy (O_vac) sites, provided by SnO_2?x, drastically enhance the adsorption of carbonyl group.     

Relating structural aspects of bimetallic Pt(3)Cr(1)/C nanoparticles to their electrocatalytic activity, stability, and selectivity in the oxygen reduction reaction

Two methods were used to prepare bimetallic Pt(3)Cr(1)/C nanocatalysts with similar composition but different alloying extent (structure). We investigated how these differences in alloying extent affect the catalytic activity, stability and selectivity in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). One method, based on slow thermal decomposition of the Cr precursor at a rate that matches that of chemical reduction of the Pt precursor, allows fine control of the composition of the Pt(3)Cr(1)/C alloy, whereas the second approach, using the ethylene glycol method, results in considerable deviation (>25 %) from the projected composition. Consequently, these two methods lead to variations in the alloying extent that strongly influence the Pt d-band vacancy and the Pt electroactive surface area (Pt ESCA). This relationship was systematically evaluated by transmission electron microscopy, X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy, and electrochemical analysis. The ORR activity depends on two effects that nullify each other, namely, the number of active Pt sites and their activity. The Pt-site activity is more dominant in governing the ORR activity. The selectivity of the nanocatalyst towards the ORR and the competitive methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) depend on these two effects acting in cooperation to give enhanced ORR activity with suppressed MOR. The number of active Pt sites is associated with the Pt ESCA value, while Pt-site activity is associated with the alloying extent and Pt d-band vacancy (electronic) effects. The presence of Cr atoms in Pt(3)Cr(1)/C enhances stability during electrochemical treatment. Overall, the Pt(3)Cr(1)/C catalyst prepared by controlled-composition synthesis was shown to be superior in ORR activity, selectivity and stability owing to its favorable alloying extent, Pt d-band vacancy, and Pt ESCA.     

One-pot fabrication of single-crystalline octahedral Pd-Pt nanocrystals with enhanced electrocatalytic activity for methanol oxidation

This study reports the synthesis of octahedral Pd-Pt bimetallic alloy nanocrystals through a facile, one-pot, templateless, and seedless hydrothermal method in the presence of glucose and hexadecyl trimethyl ammonium bromide. The morphologies, compositions, and structures of the Pd-Pt nanocrystals were fully characterized by various physical techniques, thereby demonstrating their highly alloying octahedral nanostructures. The formation or growth mechanism of the Pd-Pt bimetallic alloy nanocrystals was explored and is discussed here based on the experimental observations. In addition, the synthesized Pd-Pt nanocrystals were applied to the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in alkaline media, which proved that the as-prepared catalysts exhibit enhanced electrocatalytic activity for MOR. Pd₁Pt₃ exhibited the best stability and durability, and its mass activity was 3.4 and 5.2 times greater than those of Pt black and Pd black catalysts, respectively. The facile synthetic process and excellent catalytic performance of the as-prepared catalysts demonstrate that they have the potential to be used in direct methanol fuel cell techniques.     

Engineering Platinum–Oxygen Dual Catalytic Sites via Charge Transfer towards Highly Efficient Hydrogen Evolution

A dual‐site catalyst allows for a synergetic reaction in the close proximity to enhance catalysis. It is highly desirable to create dual‐site interfaces in single‐atom system to maximize the effect. Herein, we report a cation‐deficient electrostatic anchorage route to fabricate an atomically dispersed platinum–titania catalyst (Pt₁^O1/Ti_1?xO₂), which shows greatly enhanced hydrogen evolution activity, surpassing that of the commercial Pt/C catalyst in mass by a factor of 53.2. Operando techniques and density functional calculations reveal that Pt₁^O1/Ti_1?xO₂ experiences a Pt?O dual‐site catalytic pathway, where the inherent charge transfer within the dual sites encourages the jointly coupling protons and plays the key role during the Volmer–Tafel process. There is almost no decay in the activity of Pt₁^O1/Ti_1?xO₂ over 300 000 cycles, meaning 30 times of enhancement in stability compared to the commercial Pt/C catalysts (10 000 cycles).     

The formation of Pt-Ru alloy nanoparticles in a carbon matrix under IR pyrolysis conditions

Nanosized Pt-Ru alloy and Pt₁₃Ru₂₇ intermetallic compound particles dispersed in a carbon matrix were obtained for the first time directly during the preparation of the composite. The alloying of the Pt and Ru particles occurred at IR pyrolysis intensities corresponding to temperatures above 700°C over the whole homogeneity range of solid solutions based on platinum. Metallic nanoparticles were round-shaped (the mean size 6–8 nm) and had a narrow particle-size distribution.     

Platinum alloying effects on the behavior of a metal hydride electrode

This is a study of the alloy structure, cycling life, and reaction kinetics of LaNi_4.7–x Sn_0.3Pt _x (x=0 and 0.1) metal hydride electrodes, using X-ray diffraction, X-ray absorption spectroscopy, electrochemical charge/discharge cycling, and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. It is seen that the presence of platinum in the alloy causes an increase of the cycle life and a decrease in the hydrogen equilibrium pressure, activation time, charge storage capacity, and the rate of capacity decay during multicycling. XANES results are consistent with a decrease in the Ni oxidation in the Pt-containing alloy after the electrode cycling, indicating a protection introduced by Pt against Ni oxidation. It was also found that the catalytic activity of charge/discharge is improved with Pt alloying, a factor exclusively related to an increase of the active area due to higher alloy pulverization.     

Carbon-supported ultrafine Pt nanoparticles modified with trace amounts of cobalt as enhanced oxygen reduction reaction catalysts for proton exchange membrane fuel cells

To accelerate the kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in proton exchange membrane fuel cells, ultrafine Pt nanoparticles modified with trace amounts of cobalt were fabricated and decorated on carbon black through a strategy involving modified glycol reduction and chemical etching. The obtained Pt₃₆Co/C catalyst exhibits a much larger electrochemical surface area (ECSA) and an improved ORR electrocatalytic activity compared to commercial Pt/C. Moreover, an electrode prepared with Pt₃₆Co/C was further evaluated under H₂-air single cell test conditions, and exhibited a maximum specific power density of 10.27 W mg_Pt^?1, which is 1.61 times higher than that of a conventional Pt/C electrode and also competitive with most state-of-the-art Pt-based architectures. In addition, the changes in ECSA, power density, and reacting resistance during the accelerated degradation process further demonstrate the enhanced durability of the Pt₃₆Co/C electrode. The superior performance observed in this work can be attributed to the synergy between the ultrasmall size and homogeneous distribution of catalyst nanoparticles, bimetallic ligand and electronic effects, and the dissolution of unstable Co with the rearrangement of surface structure brought about by acid etching. Furthermore, the accessible raw materials and simplified operating procedures involved in the fabrication process would result in great cost-effectiveness for practical applications of PEMFCs.     

Highly efficient electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid by electrospun carbon nanofiber-supported PtxAu100−x bimetallic electrocatalyst

Electrospun carbon nanofiber-supported bimetallic Pt_xAu_100?x electrocatalysts (Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF) were prepared by electrochemical codeposition method. The composition of PtAu bimetallic nanoparticles could be controlled by varying the ratio of H₂PtCl₆ and HAuCl₄. Scanning electron microscopy images showed that bimetallic nanoparticles had coarse surface morphology with high electrochemically active surface areas. X-ray diffraction analysis testified the formation of PtAu alloys. Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF electrocatalysts exhibited improved electrocatalytic activities towards formic acid oxidation by providing the selectivity of the reaction via dehydrogenation pathway and suppressing the formation/adsorption of poisoning CO intermediate, indicating that Pt_xAu_100?x/CNF is promising electrocatalyst in direct formic acid fuel cells.     

2D MOF-assisted Pyrolysis-displacement-alloying Synthesis of High-entropy Alloy Nanoparticles Library for Efficient Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Oxidation

Multimetallic alloy nanoparticles (NPs) have received considerable attention in various applications due to their compositional variability and exceptional properties. However, the complexity of both the general synthesis and structure–activity relationships remain the long-standing challenges in this field. Herein, we report a versatile 2D MOF-assisted pyrolysis-displacement-alloying route to successfully synthesize a series of binary, ternary and even high-entropy NPs that are uniformly dispersed on porous nitrogen-doped carbon nanosheets (PNC NSs). As a proof of utility, the obtained Co_0.2Ru_0.7Pt_0.1/PNC NSs exhibits apparent hydrogen oxidation activity and durability with a record-high mass specific kinetic current of 1.84 A mg⁻¹ at the overpotential of 50 mV, which is approximately 11.5 times higher than that of the Pt benchmark. Both experimental and theoretical studies reveal that the addition of Pt engenders a phase transition in CoRu alloys from hexagonal close-packed (hcp) to face-centered cubic (fcc) structure. The elevated reactivity of the resulted ternary alloy can be attributed to the optimized adsorption of hydrogen intermediate and the decreased reaction barrier for water formation. This study opens a new avenue for the development of highly efficient alloy NPs with various compositions and functions.     

One-step synthesis of porous PtNiCu trimetallic nanoalloy with enhanced electrocatalytic performance toward methanol oxidation

Pt-based alloy nanoporous structures have attracted a lot of attention because of their high activity and stability toward alcohol oxidation reactions. Especially, Pt alloying with Earth-abundant metal can lower the cost of catalyst. Here, we introduce a one-pot approach to synthesize bimetallic PtCu and Ni-doped PtCu nanoalloy with porous structure. The as-synthesized Ni-doped Pt₆₀Ni₃Cu₃₇ nanoalloys exhibit excellent electrocatalytic properties toward methanol oxidation in acidic medium. The mass activity of the as-synthesized Pt₆₀Ni₃Cu₃₇ nanoalloys is 3.6 times and 5.3 times that of Pt₅₅Cu₄₅ nanoalloys and commercial Pt black for methanol oxidation in 0.2?M methanol solution. Besides, the stability of the as-synthesized Pt₆₀Ni₃Cu₃₇ nanoalloys was much better than Pt₅₅Cu₄₅ nanoalloys and commercial Pt black. After 3600?s chronoamperometry test, the remaining values of the Pt₆₀Ni₃Cu₃₇ nanoalloys are 3.7 times and 11.0 times that of Pt₅₅Cu₄₅ nanoalloys and commercial Pt black. And it is the first time to report that small amount of Ni dopants can boost the activity and stability of PtNiCu alloys toward methanol oxidation.     

Polymeric Carbon Nitride/Mesoporous Silica Composites as Catalyst Support for Au and Pt Nanoparticles

Small and homogeneously dispersed Au and Pt nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared on polymeric carbon nitride (CN_x)/mesoporous silica (SBA‐15) composites, which were synthesized by thermal polycondensation of dicyandiamide‐impregnated preformed SBA‐15. By changing the condensation temperature, the degree of condensation and the loading of CN_x can be controlled to give adjustable particle sizes of the Pt and Au NPs subsequently formed on the composites. In contrast to the pure SBA‐15 support, coating of SBA‐15 with polymeric CN_x resulted in much smaller and better‐dispersed metal NPs. Furthermore, under catalytic conditions the CN_x coating helps to stabilize the metal NPs. However, metal NPs on CN_x/SBA‐15 can show very different catalytic behaviors in, for example, the CO oxidation reaction. Whereas the Pt NPs already show full CO conversion at 160 °C, the catalytic activity of Au NPs seems to be inhibited by the CN_x support.     

Coating Platinum Nanoparticles with Methyl Radicals: Effects on Properties and Catalytic Implications

It was recently reported that the reaction of methyl radicals with Pt⁰ nanoparticles (NPs), prepared by the reduction of Pt(SO₄)₂ with NaBH₄, is fast and yields as the major product stable (Pt⁰‐NPs)?(CH₃)_n and as side products, in low yields, C₂H₆, C₂H₄, and some oligomers. We decided to study the effect of this coating on the properties of the Pt⁰‐NPs. The results show that the coating can cover up to 75 % of the surface Pt⁰ atoms. The rate constant of the reaction, k( ^. CH₃+Pt⁰‐NPs), decreases with the increase in the surface coverage, leading to competing reaction paths in the solution, which gradually become dominant, affecting the composition of the products. The methyl coating also affects the zeta potential, the UV spectra, and the electrocatalytic reduction of water in the presence of the NPs. Thus, the results suggest that binding alkyl radicals to Pt⁰ surfaces might poison the NPs catalytic activity. When the Pt⁰‐NPs are prepared by the reduction of a different precursor salt, PtCl₆^2?, nearly no C₂H₄ and oligomers are formed and the methyl coating covers a larger percentage of the surface Pt⁰ atoms. The difference is attributed to the morphology of the Pt⁰‐NPs: those prepared from Pt(SO₄)₂ are twinned nanocrystals, whereas those prepared from PtCl₆^2? consist mostly of single crystals. Thus, the results indicate that the side products, or most of them at least, are formed on the twinned Pt⁰ nanocrystal edges created between (111) facets. In addition, the results show that Pt⁰‐NPs react very differently compared with other noble metals, for example, Au⁰ and Ag⁰; this difference is attributed in part to the difference in the bond strength, (M⁰‐NP)?CH₃, and should be considered in heterogeneous catalytic processes involving alkyl radicals as intermediates.     

Bimetallic RuM (M=Co,Ni) Alloy NPs Supported on MIL-110(Al): Synergetic Catalysis in Hydrolytic Dehydrogenation of Ammonia Borane

By adjusting various Ru/M (M=Co, Ni) molar ratios, a series of highly dispersed bimetallic RuM alloy nanoparticles (NPs) anchored on MIL-110(Al) have been successfully prepared via a conventional impregnation-reduction method. And they are first used as heterogeneous catalysts for the dehydrogenation reaction of AB at room temperature. The results reveal that the as-prepared Ru₁Co₁@MIL-110 and Ru₁Ni₁@MIL-110 exhibit the highest catalytic activities in different RuCo and RuNi molar ratios, respectively. It is worthy of note that the turnover frequency (TOF) values of Ru₁Co₁@MIL-110 and Ru₁Ni₁@MIL-110 catalysts reached 488.1 and 417.1 mol H₂ min^-1 (mol Ru)^-1 and the activation energies (E_a) are 31.7 and 36.0 kJ/mol, respectively. The superior catalytic performance is attributed to the bimetallic synergistic action between Ru and M, uniform distribution of metal NPs as well as bi-functional effect between RuM alloy NPs and MIL-110. Moreover, these catalysts exhibit favorable stability after 5 consecutive cycles for the hydrolysis of AB.     

Pyrolytic Carbon‐coated Cu‐Fe Alloy Nanoparticles with High Catalytic Performance for Oxygen Electroreduction

Well‐dispersed carbon‐coated or nitrogen‐doped carbon‐coated copper‐iron alloy nanoparticles (FeCu@C or FeCu@C?N) in carbon‐based supports are obtained using a bimetallic metal‐organic framework (Cu/Fe‐MOF‐74) or a mixture of Cu/Fe‐MOF‐74 and melamine as sacrificial templates and an active‐component precursor by using a pyrolysis method. The investigation results attest formation of Cu?Fe alloy nanoparticles. The obtained FeCu@C catalyst exhibits a catalytic activity with a half‐wave potential of 0.83 V for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in alkaline medium, comparable to that on commercial Pt/C catalyst (0.84 V). The catalytic activity of FeCu@C?N for ORR (E_half‐wave=0.87 V) outshines all reported analogues. The excellent performance of FeCu@C?N should be attributed to a change in the energy of the d‐band center of Cu resulting from the formation of the copper–iron alloy, the interaction between alloy nanoparticles and supports and N‐doping in the carbon matrix. Moreover, FeCu@C and FeCu@C?N show better electrochemical stability and methanol tolerance than commercial Pt/C and are expected to be widely used in practical applications.     

Synergistic Effects of Metals in a Promising RuII−PtII Assembly for a Combined Anticancer Approach: Theoretical Exploration of the Photophysical Properties

Ru^II?Pt^II complexes are a class of bioactive molecules of interest as anticancer agents that combine a light‐absorbing chromophore with a cisplatin‐like unit. The results of a DFT and TDDFT investigation of a Ru^II complex and its conjugate with a cis‐PtCl₂ moiety reveal that a synergistic effect of the metals makes the assembly a promising multitarget anticancer drug. Inspection of type I and type II photoreactions and spin–orbit coupling computations reveals that the cis‐PtCl₂ moiety improves the photophysical properties of the Ru^II chromophore, ensuring efficient singlet oxygen generation and making the assembly suitable for photodynamic therapy. At the same time, the Ru^II chromophore promotes a new alternative activation mechanism of the Pt^II ligand via a triplet metal‐to‐ligand charge transfer (³M LCT) state, before reaching the biological target. The importance of the supramolecular architecture is accurately derived, opening interesting new perspectives on the use of bimetallic Ru^II?Pt^II assemblies in a combined anticancer approach.     

Implanting Atomic Dispersed Ru in PtNi Colloidal Nanocrystal Clusters for Efficient Catalytic Performance in Electro-oxidation of Liquid Fuels

Although PtRu alloy nanocatalysts have been certified to possess excellent electrocatalytic performance and CO-poisoning tolerance toward formic acid and methanol electro-oxidation, the unaffordable usages of ruthenium (Ru) and platinum (Pt) have greatly limited their widespread adoption. Here, a facile one-pot method is reported for implanting atomic dispersed Ru in PtNi colloidal nanocrystal clusters with different Ru/Pt/Ni molar ratios, greatly reducing the dosages of Pt and Ru, and further improving the catalytic performances for the electro-oxidation of formic acid and methanol. Through simple control of the amount of Ni(acac)₂ precursor, trimetallic Ru_0.3Pt_70.5Ni_29.2, Ru_0.6Pt_55.9Ni_43.5, Ru_0.2Pt_77.3Ni_22.5, and Ru_0.9Pt_27.3Ni_71.8 colloidal nanocrystal clusters (CNCs) are obtained. In particular, the Ru_0.3Pt_70.5Ni_29.2 CNCs exhibit excellent specific activities for formic acid and methanol electro-oxidation, that is, 14.2 and 15.3 times higher, respectively, than those of the Pt/C catalyst. Moreover, the Ru_0.3Pt_70.5Ni_29.2 CNCs also possess better anti-CO-poisoning properties and diffusion ability than the other RuPtNi CNCs. The excellent formic acid and methanol electro-oxidation activities of RuPtNi CNCs are ascribed to the optimal ligand effects derived from the Pt, Ni, and atomic dispersed Ru atoms, which can improve the OH adsorption ability and further the anti-CO-poisoning capability. This research opens a new door for increasing the electro-oxidation properties of liquid fuels by using lower dosages of noble metals in Pt-based catalysts.