Activity–Structure Correlation of Pt/Ru Catalysts for the Electrodecomposition of Methanol: The Importance of RuO2 and PtRu Alloying

Bimetallic catalysts: The effect of PtRu alloying and the influence of RuO₂ species on the methanol oxidation activity of PtRu/C catalysts is studied. Different heat treatments—utilizing either N₂ or air—are applied to the bimetallic materials to enhance the degree of alloying or produce RuO₂ (see picture). The catalysts with the best performance are characterized by a small particle size, a high degree of PtRu alloying, and the presence of a Pt‐related species on their surface.

     

Facile Synthesis of PdCu Echinus‐Like Nanocrystals as Robust Electrocatalysts for Methanol Oxidation Reaction

Exploiting high‐performance and inexpensive electrocatalysts for methanol electro‐oxidation is conductive to promoting the commercial application of direct methanol fuel cells. Here, we present a facile synthesis of echinus‐like PdCu nanocrystals (NCs) via a one‐step and template‐free method. The echinus‐like PdCu NCs possess numerous straight and long branches which can provide abundant catalytic active sites. Owing to the novel nanoarchitecture and electronic effect of the PdCu alloy, the echinus‐like PdCu NCs display high electrocatalytic performance toward methanol oxidation reaction in an alkaline medium. The mass activity of echinus‐like PdCu NCs is 1202.1 mA mg_Pd^?1, which is 3.7 times that of Pd/C catalysts. In addition, the echinus‐like structure, as a kind of three‐dimensional self‐supported nanoarchitecture, endows PdCu NCs with significantly enhanced stability and durability. Hence, the echinus‐like PdCu NCs hold prospect of being employed as electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells.     

Dealloying Ag–Al Alloy to Prepare Nanoporous Silver as a Substrate for Surface‐Enhanced Raman Scattering: Effects of Structural Evolution and Surface Modification

Sensitive detection of molecules by using the surface‐enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) technique depends on the nanostructured metallic substrate and many efforts have been devoted to the preparation of SERS substrates with high sensitivity, stability, and reproducibility. Herein, we report on the fabrication of stable monolithic nanoporous silver (NPS) by chemical dealloying of Ag–Al precursor alloys with an emphasis on the effect of structural evolution on SERS signals. It was found that the dealloying conditions had great influence on the morphology (the ligament/pore size) and the crystallization status, which determined the SERS signal of rhodamine 6G on the NPS. NPS with small pores, low residual Al, and perfect crystallization gave high SERS signals. A high enhancement factor of 7.5×10⁵ was observed on bare NPS obtained by dealloying Ag₃₀Al₇₀ in 2.5 wt % HCl at room temperature followed by 15 min aging at around 85 °C. After coating Ag nanoparticles on the NPS surface, the enhancement factor increased to 1.6×10⁸ owing to strong near‐field coupling between the ligaments and nanoparticles.     

A general method for the rapid synthesis of hollow metallic or bimetallic nanoelectrocatalysts with urchinlike morphology

We have reported a facile and general method for the rapid synthesis of hollow nanostructures with urchinlike morphology. In-situ produced Ag nanoparticles can be used as sacrificial templates to rapidly synthesize diverse hollow urchinlike metallic or bimetallic (such as Au/Pt) nanostructures. It has been found that heating the solution at 100 degrees C during the galvanic replacement is very necessary for obtaining urchinlike nanostructures. Through changing the molar ratios of Ag to Pt, the wall thickness of hollow nanospheres can be easily controlled; through changing the diameter of Ag nanoparticles, the size of cavity of hollow nanospheres can be facilely controlled; through changing the morphologies of Ag nanostructures from nanoparticle to nanowire, hollow Pt nanotubes can be easily designed. This one-pot approach can be extended to synthesize other hollow nanospheres such as Pd, Pd/Pt, Au/Pd, and Au/Pt. The features of this technique are that it is facile, quick, economical, and versatile. Most importantly, the hollow bimetallic nanospheres (Au/Pt and Pd/Pt) obtained here exhibit an area of greater electrochemical activity than other Pt hollow or solid nanospheres. In addition, the approximately 6 nm hollow urchinlike Pt nanospheres can achieve a potential of up to 0.57 V for oxygen reduction, which is about 200 mV more positive than that obtained by using a approximately 6 nm Pt nanoparticle modified glassy carbon (GC) electrode. Rotating ring-disk electrode (RRDE) voltammetry demonstrates that approximately 6 nm hollow Pt nanospheres can catalyze an almost four-electron reduction of O(2) to H(2)O in air-saturated H(2)SO(4) (0.5 M). Finally, compared to the approximately 6 nm Pt nanoparticle catalyst, the approximately 6 nm hollow urchinlike Pt nanosphere catalyst exhibits a superior electrocatalytic activity toward the methanol oxidation reaction at the same Pt loadings.     

Silver and gold icosahedra: one-pot water-based synthesis and their superior performance in the electrocatalysis for oxygen reduction reactions in alkaline media

Much effort has gone into generating polyhedral noble metal nanostructures because of their superior electrocatalytic activities for fuel cells. Herein, we report uniform, high-yield icosahedral silver and gold nanoparticles by using a facile one-pot, seedless, water-based approach that incorporates polyvinyl pyrrolidone and ammonia. Electrocatalysis of the oxygen-reduction reaction was carried out in alkaline media to evaluate the performance of the icosahedral nanoparticles. They showed excellent stability and much higher electrocatalytic activity than the spherelike nanoparticles; they display a positive shift in reduction peak potential for O(2) of 0.14 and 0.05 V, while the reduction peak currents of the silver and gold icosahedra are 1.5- and 1.6-fold, respectively, better than the spherelike nanoparticles. More importantly, the icosahedral nanoparticles display electrocatalytic activities comparable with commercial Pt/C electrocatalysts. The facile preparation of icosahedral silver and gold nanoparticles and their superior performance in the oxygen reduction reaction render them attractive replacements for Pt as cathode electrocatalysts in alkaline fuel cells.     

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.     

Rapid,General Synthesis of PdPt Bimetallic Alloy Nanosponges and Their Enhanced Catalytic Performance for Ethanol/Methanol Electrooxidation in an Alkaline Medium

We have demonstrated a rapid and general strategy to synthesize novel three‐dimensional PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges in the absence of a capping agent. Significantly, the as‐prepared PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges exhibited greatly enhanced activity and stability towards ethanol/methanol electrooxidation in an alkaline medium, which demonstrates the potential of applying these PdPt bimetallic alloy nanosponges as effective electrocatalysts for direct alcohol fuel cells. In addition, this simple method has also been applied for the synthesis of AuPt, AuPd bimetallic, and AuPtPd trimetallic alloy nanosponges. The as‐synthesized three‐dimensional bimetallic/trimetallic alloy nanosponges, because of their convenient preparation, well‐defined sponge‐like network, large‐scale production, and high electrocatalytic performance for ethanol/methanol electrooxidation, may find promising potential applications in various fields, such as formic acid oxidation or oxygen reduction reactions, electrochemical sensors, and hydrogen‐gas sensors.     

以切短多壁碳纳米管为载体制备高活性Pt/SCNT及PtRu/SCNT燃料电池催化剂

采用乙醇为助磨剂,利用球磨的方法将5-15μm长的多壁碳纳米管切短成长度约为200nm,并且分布较为均匀的短碳纳米管(SCNT).以SCNT为载体,采用有机溶胶法制得了含铂20%(w)的Pt/SCNT及PtRu/SCNT催化剂.实验发现:对于甲醇的阳极电氧化过程,以切短碳纳米管为载体的Pt/SCNT催化剂具有比相同条件制得的Pt/CNT催化剂高得多的催化活性,前者甲醇氧化峰电流密度是后者的1.4倍,并且远远高于商品的Pt/C催化剂.同时我们发现添加了钌的PtRu/SCNT具有比不含钌的催化剂更好的活性.采用X射线衍射(XRD)、透射电镜(TEM)、比表面积分析(BET)等方法对催化剂进行表征,结果表明,切短碳纳米管的晶相结构并未改变,但Pt/SCNT和PtRu/SCNT催化剂的比表面积和电化学活性得到了显著的提高.     

Electrocatalytic activities of binary and ternary composite electrodes of Pd, nanocarbon and Ni for electro-oxidation of methanol in alkaline medium

Films of binary and ternary composites of Pd, nanocarbon (C), and Ni are obtained on glassy carbon electrodes and investigated as electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation (MOR) in alkaline medium. Results show that among the electrocatalysts investigated, the apparent electrocatalytic activity of the Pd-0.5%C electrode is the greatest and that it decreases with increasing percentage of C in the composite. The Pd-0.5%C composite electrode has approximately two times higher activity than that of Pd electrode for MOR under similar experimental conditions. Introduction of Ni (1–2%) into the active Pd-0.5%C catalyst somewhat declines the apparent electrocatalytic activity of the electrode. The onset potential for MOR is observed to be the greatest negative at the Pd-0.5%C composite electrode, which gets shifted towards noble side by 80–100 mV with addition of Ni (1–2%).     

Performance evaluation of nickel as anode catalyst for DMFC in acidic and alkaline medium

Direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) research is highly focused due to its high energy density, portability and inexpensive. In the present study conventional platinum catalyst used for methanol oxidation is being replaced with nickel catalyst supported over nickel mesh. The electrode is synthesized by single step electro deposition technique. Synthesized electrode was characterized by SEM, EDAX and AFM techniques to know the surface morphology, composition and thickness of the catalyst respectively. The electro catalytic behavior of the nickel for methanol oxidation was evaluated using cyclic voltammetry technique. As the DMFC is compatible with both the acidic and alkaline electrolytes the working of the nickel mesh electrode is analyzed in both media. The results showed maximum current density of 0.025 and 0.030 A/cm² in alkaline and acidic medium respectively with less potential around 0.4 and 0.2 V. The other parameters such as varying the concentration of methanol, electrolyte medium, scan rate and thickness of the catalytic layer were analyzed and optimized.     

Preparation of Metal Ion-Planted Mesoporous Silica by Template Ion-Exchange Method and Its Catalytic Activity for Asymmetric Oxidation of Sulfide

For the preparation of metal ion-planted MCM-41 we have developed a template ion-exchange method, in which the template ions of as-synthesized MCM-41 are exchanged for the metal ions in aqueous media. The cations of Al, Ti, Cr, Mn, Zn, and Zr could be incorporated with high dispersion, while those of Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Pd, and Pt formed small particles on the outside of the MCM-41 particles. Investigation on the time course of the template ion-exchange process suggested that the exchange proceeded first between the template ion and a proton and subsequently between the proton and a metal cation. Among the resulting metal ion-planted MCM-41s, Mn-MCM-41 showed excellent activity for the epoxidation of aromatic olefins. Trans-stilbene oxide was obtained in 93% yield from stilbene in MeCN–DMF solution at 328 K for 96 h. Ti-MCM-41 was the most suitable catalyst for the oxidation of sulfide with H₂O₂. It should be noted that the oxidation proceeded asymmetrically on Ti-MCM-41 in the presence of optically active tartaric acid in a CH₂Cl₂ solution. The chemical yield and optical yield of sulfoxide reached 54 and 30% ee, respectively.     

Synthesis of Ultrafine Mesoporous Tungsten Carbide by High‐energy Ball Milling and Its Electrocatalytic Activity for Methanol Oxidation

Ultrafine mesoporous tungsten carbide (WC) was prepared from as‐synthesized mesoporous WC using high‐energy ball milling treatment. X‐ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and nitrogen adsorption‐desorption techniques were used to characterize the samples. Brunauer‐Emmett‐Teller (BET) surface areas of WC samples increased with the increasing ball milling time and kept constant at 10–11 m²·g^?1 for over 9 h. The electrocatalytic properties of methanol electro‐oxidation at WC powder microelectrodes were investigated by cyclic voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and quasi‐steady‐state polarization techniques. The results reveal that ball‐milled WC exhibits higher activity for methanol electro‐oxidation than as‐synthesized mesoporous WC. The suitability of ball‐milled WC for methanol electro‐oxidation is better than platinum (Pt) micro‐disk, although the current peak is not as high as the Pt micro‐disk. Moreover, increasing the methanol concentration and reaction temperature promotes methanol electro‐oxidation on ultrafine mesoporous WC.     

Mesoporous Bimetallic PtPd Nanoflowers as a Platform to Enhance Electrocatalytic Activity of Acetylcholinesterase for Organophosphate Pesticide Detection

Mesoporous bimetallic PtPd nanoflowers (MPtPdN) were synthesized by a surfactant‐directing method. The MPtPdN was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and wide‐angle X‐ray diffraction (XRD). The use of MPtPdN as a platform for the indirect electrochemical detection of organophosphate pesticides (OPs) via enzymatic inhibition pathway was demonstrated. Due to the nanostructure of MPtPdN and the synergy effect of the noble metal nanoparticles, a novel and sensitive acetylcholinesterase (AChE) biosensor for OPs detections based on MPtPdN and enzyme inhibition was prepared. The inhibition of omethoate exhibited a linear relationship from 4.7×10⁻¹¹ to 4.7×10⁻⁸ M with a detection limit of 1.7×10⁻¹² M (S/N=3). The proposed AChE biosensor was reliable and can be used to measure the concentration of omethoate in different spiked samples with high accuracy and satisfactory recovery. The preparation of biosensors based on the MPtPdN can be further extended to construct many other important enzyme biosensors.     

Thiol‐functionalized fructose‐derived nanoporous carbon as a support for gold nanoparticles and its application for aerobic oxidation of alcohols in water

Gold nanoparticles supported on thiol‐functionalized fructose‐derived nanoporous carbon (AuNPs@thiol‐Fru‐d‐NPS) were found to be a simple bench‐top, biocompatible, recyclable and selective catalytic system for the aerobic oxidation of various types of alcohols into their corresponding aldehydes and ketones at room temperature under the environmentally friendly conditions with excellent yields. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Synthesis of Mesoporous Lithium Titanate Thin Films and Monoliths as an Anode Material for High‐Rate Lithium‐Ion Batteries

Mesoporous Li₄Ti₅O₁₂ (LTO) thin film is an important anode material for lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Mesoporous films could be prepared by self‐assembly processes. A molten‐salt‐assisted self‐assembly (MASA) process is used to prepare mesoporous thin films of LTOs. Clear solutions of CTAB, P123, LiNO₃, HNO₃, and Ti(OC₄H₉)₄ in ethanol form gel‐like meso‐ordered films upon either spin or spray coating. In the assembly process, the CTAB/P123 molar ratio of 14 is required to accommodate enough salt species in the mesophase, in which the Li^I/P123 ratio can be varied between molar ratios of 28 and 72. Calcination of the meso‐ordered films produces transparent mesoporous spinel LTO films that are abbreviated as Cxx‐yyy‐zzz or CAxx‐yyy‐zzz (C=calcined, CA=calcined–annealed, xx=Li^I/P123 molar ratio, and yyy=calcination and zzz=annealing temperatures in Celsius) herein. All samples were characterized by using XRD, TEM, N₂‐sorption, and Raman techniques and it was found that, at all compositions, the LTO spinel phase formed with or without an anatase phase as an impurity. Electrochemical characterization of the films shows excellent performance at different current rates. The CA40‐350‐450 sample performs best among all samples tested, yielding an average discharge capacity of (176±1) mA h g^?1 at C/2 and (139±4) mA h g^?1 at 50 C and keeping 92 % of its initial discharge capacity upon 50 cycles at C/2.