Electrochemical Designing of Au/Pt Core Shell Nanoparticles as Nanostructured Catalyst with Tunable Activity for Oxygen Reduction

Au/Pt core shell nanoparticles (NPs) have been prepared via a layer‐by‐layer growth of Pt layers on Au NPs using underpotential deposition (UPD) redox replacement technique. A single UPD Cu monolayer replacement with Pt(II) yielded a uniform Pt film on Au NPs, and the shell thickness can be tuned by controlling the number of UPD redox replacement cycles. Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in air‐saturated 0.1 M H₂SO₄ was used to investigate the electrocatalytic behavior of the as‐prepared core shell NPs. Cyclic voltammograms of ORR show that the peak potentials shift positively from 0.32 V to 0.48 V with the number of Pt layers increasing from one to five, suggesting the electrocatalytic activity increases with increasing the thickness of Pt shell. The increase in electrocatalytic activity may originate mostly from the large decrease of electronic influence of Au cores on surface Pt atoms. Rotating ring‐disk electrode voltammetry and rotating disk electrode voltammetry demonstrate that ORR is mainly a four‐electron reduction on the as‐prepared modified electrode with 5 Pt layers and first charge transfer is the rate‐determining step.     

Electrochemical formation of a Pt/Zn alloy and its use as a catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction in fuel cells

The characterization of an electrochemically created Pt/Zn alloy by Auger electron spectroscopy is presented indicating the formation of the alloy, the oxidation of the alloy, and the room temperature diffusion of the Zn into the Pt regions. The Pt/Zn alloy is stable up to 1.2 V/RHE and can only be removed with the oxidation of the base Pt metal either electrochemically or in aqua regia. The Pt/Zn alloy was tested for its effectiveness toward oxygen reduction. Kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were measured using a rotating disk electrode (RDE), and a 30 mV anodic shift in the potential of ORR was found when comparing the Pt/Zn alloy to Pt. The Tafel slope was slightly smaller than that measured for the pure Pt electrode. A simple procedure for electrochemically modifying a Pt-containing gas diffusion electrode (GDE) with Zn was developed. The Zn-treated GDE was pressed with an untreated GDE anode, and the created membrane electrode assembly was tested. Fuel cell testing under two operating conditions (similar anode and cathode inlet pressures, and a larger cathode inlet pressure) indicated that the 30 mV shift observed on the RDE was also evident in the fuel cell tests. The high stability of the Pt/Zn alloy in acidic environments has a potential benefit for fuel cell applications.     

Nanostructured Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O2 support enhances electron transfer to Pt: high-performance catalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

The slow rate of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and the instability of Pt-based catalysts are two of the most important issues that must be solved in order to make proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) a reality. Additionally, the serious carbon corrosion on the cathode side is a critical problem with respect to the durability of catalyst that limits its wide application. Here, we present a new approach by exploring robust noncarbon Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) used as a novel functionalized cocatalytic support for Pt. This approach is based on the novel nanostructure Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) support with "electronic transfer mechanism" from Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) to Pt that can modify the surface electronic structure of Pt, owing to a shift in the d-band center of the surface Pt atoms. Furthermore, another benefit of Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) is the extremely high stability of Pt/Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) during potential cycling, which is attributable to the strong metal/support interaction (SMSI) between Pt and Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2). This also enhances the inherent structural and chemical stability and the corrosion resistance of the TiO(2)-based oxide in acidic and oxidative environments. We also demonstrate that the ORR current densities generated using cocatalytic Pt/Ti(0.7)Mo(0.3)O(2) are respectively ~7- and 2.6-fold higher than those of commercial Pt/C and PtCo/C catalysts with the same Pt loading. This new approach opens a reliable path to the discovery advanced concept in designing new catalysts that can replace the traditional catalytic structure and motivate further research in the field.     

3D nitrogen-doped graphene aerogel-supported Fe3O4 nanoparticles as efficient electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction

Three-dimensional (3D) N-doped graphene aerogel (N-GA)-supported Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs) as efficient cathode catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) are reported. The graphene hybrids exhibit an interconnected macroporous framework of graphene sheets with uniform dispersion of Fe(3)O(4) nanoparticles (NPs). In studying the effects of the carbon support on the Fe(3)O(4) NPs for the ORR, we found that Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs show a more positive onset potential, higher cathodic density, lower H(2)O(2) yield, and higher electron transfer number for the ORR in alkaline media than Fe(3)O(4) NPs supported on N-doped carbon black or N-doped graphene sheets, highlighting the importance of the 3D macropores and high specific surface area of the GA support for improving the ORR performance. Furthermore, Fe(3)O(4)/N-GAs show better durability than the commercial Pt/C catalyst.     

ORR催化剂Nim@Pt1Aun-m-1 (n = 19, 38, 55, 79; m = 1, 6, 13, 19)的密度泛函研究

燃料电池的阴极反应的反应动力学速率非常慢,限制了燃料电池技术的发展。因此,寻找低成本、高活性的氧还原催化剂具有重要的意义。多元金属核壳团簇表现出优良的氧还原活性。在本文中,以原子个数为19、38、55和79的八面体团簇作催化剂模型,采用密度泛函理论(GGA-PBE-PAW)方法,研究了一系列不同尺寸核壳Ni_m@M_n-m (n = 19, 38, 55, 79;m = 1, 6, 13, 19; M = Pt, Pd, Cu, Au, Ag)团簇催化剂的活性规律。优化*O、*OH和*OOH吸附中间体结构,计算了吸附自由能和反应吉布斯自由能,以超电势为催化活性的描述符,研究了单原子Pt嵌入Ni_m@Au_n-m团簇的活性规律。结果表明,Ni₆@Pt₁Au₃₁具有最好的ORR活性,并且Ni₁@Pt₁Au₁₇、Ni₆@Pt₁Au₃₁、Ni₁₃@Pt₁Au₄₁、Ni₁₉@Pt₁Au₅表现出比Pt₃₈团簇以及Pt(111)表面更高的催化活性。Bader电荷和态密度分析表面,核壳之间的电荷转移以及单原子Pt嵌入Ni_m@Au_n-m表面,改变了吸附位的电子性质,降低了*OH的吸附强度,提高了ORR活性。单原子Pt嵌入Ni_m@Au_n-m表面可能是一种合适的多元金属核壳ORR催化剂设计策略。     

Ceria-promoted oxygen reduction reaction in Pd-based electrocatalysts

PdCo-ceria electrocatalyst is synthesized on carbon support in a size of a few nm by colloid method. Enhanced oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics of PdCo is observed in the presence of ceria similarly as confirmed for PtCo-ceria in a half cell experiment. In addition, there appears a positive shift of the ORR onset potential of PdCo-ceria compared to PdCo while PtCo-ceria shows no such an apparent shift of onset potential. These effects of ceria on the ORR onset potential and the ORR kinetics are more remarkable as temperature increases. To get the most of oxygen storage and supply capacity of ceria, a high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) is fabricated using PdCo-ceria as a catalyst at the cathode. Ceria effects on the ORR of PdCo-ceria catalyst are realized in the form of higher OCV and lower Tafel slope compared to PdCo catalyst in the PEMFC single cell performance. Enhancements in both ORR kinetics and ORR onset potential are very attractive features of ceria as a co-catalyst in the development of a non-Pt ORR electrocatalyst.     

The Pt(111)/electrolyte interface under oxygen reduction reaction conditions: an electrochemical impedance spectroscopy study

The Pt(111)/electrolyte interface has been characterized during the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) in 0.1 M HClO(4) using electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. The surface was studied within the potential region where adsorption of OH* and O* species occur without significant place exchange between the adsorbate and Pt surface atoms (0.45-1.15 V vs RHE). An equivalent electric circuit is proposed to model the Pt(111)/electrolyte interface under ORR conditions within the selected potential window. This equivalent circuit reflects three processes with different time constants, which occur simultaneously during the ORR at Pt(111). Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were used to correlate and interpret the results of the measurements. The calculations indicate that the coadsorption of ClO(4)* and Cl* with OH* is unlikely. Our analysis suggests that the two-dimensional (2D) structures formed in O(2)-free solution are also formed under ORR conditions.     

Pd/Pt二元合金电极的制备及氧还原性能

本文利用欠电位沉积亚单层的Cu及Pt置换取代Cu的方法, 制备了具有不同表面元素组成的Pd/Pt二元合金电极(用Pd/Ptx表示, x指欠电位沉积Cu-Pt置换取代Cu过程的次数),并对其表面元素组成、氧还原性能进行了表征. 在控制欠电位沉积Cu的下限电位恒定(0.34 V)的前提下, 表面Pt/Pd的元素组成比通过重复欠电位沉积Cu及Pt置换取代Cu的次数(1~5次)来可控地调变. 光电子能谱(XPS) 以及红外光谱实验表明,Pd/Ptx电极表层区的Pt：Pd元素组成比随着Pt沉积次数增加而增加, 对Pd/Pt4电极, 在电极表层区约2~3 nm内的Pt/Pd的原子比大约是1:4,而最表层裸露Pd原子的比例仍在20%以上。循环伏安结果显示, 随着Pt沉积次数的增加(1-5次), Pd/Ptx电极表面越不易被氧化。氧还原测试结果显示随着Pt沉积次数的增加(1~4次), Pd/Ptx二元金属电极的氧还原活性依次增加, 经过第3次沉积后其氧还原活性已优于纯Pt,而经4次以上沉积,其氧还原活性基本不变。在其它反应条件相同条件的前提下, Pd/Pt4电极上氧还原的半波电位与纯Pt相比右移约25 mV。结合本文与文献的实验结果,我们初步认为Pd/Ptx二元金属体系氧还原性能改善主要源自表层Pd原子导致其邻近的Pt原子上含氧物种吸附能的降低.     

氮、硫共掺杂的碳负载的钴@碳化钴:一种高效的非贵金属氧还原电催化剂

Development of high-efficiency and low-cost electrocatalysts for large-scale oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) remains a challenge. In this study, we employed melamine, trithiocyanuric acid, and cobaltous nitrate to fabricate a novel ORR electrocatalyst with cobalt and cobalt carbide supported on carbon co-doped with nitrogen and sulfur (hereafter referred to as MTC-0.1-900) by two-step pyrolysis. The MTC-0.1-900 was characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) specific surface area analysis, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The electrochemical performance for ORR was investigated by cyclic voltammetry and linear sweep voltammetry in 0.1 mol·L^-1 KOH solutions. The results showed that the onset potential and half-wave potential of MTC-0.1-900 were 29 and 5 mV superior to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively. After 12000 s operation at the potential of -0.3 V (vs Ag/AgCl), the current retention capacities of MTC-0.1-900 and Pt/C were 97.1% and 76.7%, respectively. MTC-0.1-900 also showed better methanol tolerance than Pt/C. These unique properties of MTC-0.1-900 provide us with an alternative for replacing or reducing the use of Pt catalyst in metal-air battery cathode materials.     

High-performance hydrogen fuel cell using nitrate reduction reaction on a non-precious catalyst

The H(2)-NO(3)(-) electrochemical cell using nitrate reduction on a non-precious cathode catalyst shows much improved efficiency despite ～75% reduction of Pt metal loading as compared to typical PEMFCs using typical ORR on precious catalysts.     

Particle-size effect of nanoscale platinum catalysts in oxygen reduction reaction: an electrochemical and 195Pt EC-NMR study

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) measurements and (195)Pt electrochemical nuclear magnetic resonance (EC-NMR) spectroscopy were combined to study a series of carbon-supported platinum nanoparticle electrocatalysts (Pt/CB) with average diameters in the range of roughly 1-5 nm. ORR rate constants and H(2)O(2) yields evaluated from hydrodynamic voltammograms did not show any particle size dependency. The apparent activation energy of 37 kJ mol(-1), obtained for the ORR rate constant, was identical to that obtained for bulk platinum electrodes. Pt/CB catalysts on Nafion produced only 0.7-1% of H(2)O(2), confirming that the direct four-electron reduction of O(2) to H(2)O is the predominant reaction. NMR spectral features showed characteristic size dependence, and the line shapes were reproduced by using the layer-deconvolution model. Namely, the variations in the NMR spectra with particle size can be explained as due to the combined effect of the layer-by-layer variation of the s-type and d-type local density of states. However, the surface peak position of (195)Pt NMR spectra and the spin-lattice relaxation time of surface platinum atoms showed practically no change with the particle size variation. We conclude that there is a negligible difference in the surface electronic properties of these Pt/CB catalysts due to size variations and therefore, the ORR activities are not affected by the differences in the particle size.     

Electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance analysis of the oxygen reduction reaction on Pt-based electrodes. Part 1: Effect of adsorbed anions on the oxygen reduction activities of Pt in HF, HClO4, and H2SO4 solutions

The effects of anion adsorption on the activities for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) at a Pt film electrode in electrolyte solutions (HClO(4) and HF at various concentrations) were analyzed using an electrochemical quartz crystal microbalance (EQCM) and a rotating disk electrode (RDE). With an increasing HClO(4) concentration [HClO(4)], the onset potential for the Pt oxide formation in the voltammogram shifted in the positive direction, accompanied by a compression of the hydrogen adsorption/oxidation wave to less positive potentials. This is ascribed to a specific adsorption of the ClO(4)(-) anion, because the [HClO(4)] dependence of the mass change Δm detected by EQCM in the double-layer region was found to be fitted well by a Frumkin-Temkin adsorption isotherm. The potential dependencies of Δm in both 0.1 and 0.5 M HClO(4) solutions accord well with those of the ν(Cl-O) intensities observed by in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy in the potential range from 0.3 to 0.6 V. The kinetically controlled current densities j(k) for the ORR at the Pt-RDE were found to decrease with increasing [HClO(4)], because of the blocking of the active sites by specifically adsorbed ClO(4)(-). The values of j(k) in the non-adsorbing 0.1 M HF electrolyte solution, however, were smaller than those in 0.1 M HClO(4). It was found that the low ORR activity could be ascribed to the low H(+) activity in the weak acid solution of HF. We, for the first time, detected a reversible mass change for one or more adsorbed oxygen species on the Pt-EQCM in O(2)-saturated and He-purged HF and HClO(4) solutions. The coverages of oxygen species θ(O) on Pt were found to increase in the O(2)-saturated solution. High values of θ(O) in O(2)-saturated 7 mM HF suggest that the ORR rate was limited by the very low H(+) activity in the solution, and the adsorbed oxygen species remained on the surface because of a slow consumption rate.     

石墨化氮化碳负载Cu纳米颗粒用作高效氧还原电催化剂

高活性低成本氧还原反应(ORR)电催化剂是燃料电池和金属/空气电池等可再生能源技术的关键组成部分.在离子液体[(C16mim)2CuCl4]和质子化的石墨化氮化碳(g-CN)的存在下,采用简易的水热反应制备了Cu/g-CN电催化剂用于ORR.与纯的g-CN相比,所制Cu/g-CN表现出高的ORR催化活性:起始电势正移99 mV,为2倍动力学电流密度.另外,Cu/g-CN还表现出比商用Pt/C(HiSPECTM 3000,20%)催化剂更好的稳定性和甲醇容忍性.因此,该催化剂作为廉价的高效ORR电催化剂有望应用于燃料电池中.     

Polyoxometalate-stabilized Pt nanoparticles and their electrocatalytic activities

The synthesis of long-term stable polyoxometalate (POM)-stabilized Pt nanoparticles (NPs) is described here. By means of controlled bulk electrolysis, the reduced POM anions, SiW(12)O(40)(4-) (or SiW(12)) and H(2)W(12)O(40)(6-) (or H(2)W(12)), respectively, served the dual role of reductant and protecting/stabilizing ligand for the Pt NPs. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images confirmed the formation of 3 to 4 nm sized Pt NPs, which coincidently was in the same size range of the commercial Pt black that was used as a reference. Elemental XPS analyses showed W/Pt ratios of 0.12 for the SiW(12)- and 0.18 for the H(2)W(12)-stabilized Pt NPs, but found no evidence of the presence of Cl(-) anion in the samples. Controlled electrochemical (EC), UV-Vis, and IR data provided unambiguous evidence for the structural integrity of the POM anions on the Pt NP surface. CO stripping, methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were used to assess their electrocatalytic activities. It was found that both SiW(12)- and H(2)W(12)-stabilized Pt NPs showed enhanced activities in MOR and ORR as compared to that of Pt black, with the latter having higher enhancement. These observations clearly demonstrated that the stabilizing POM anions have a profound influence on the electrocatalytic activity of the underlying Pt NPs.     

Polyethyleneimine modified AuPd@PdAu alloy nanocrystals as advanced electrocatalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction

Designing the low cost, active, durable, and alcohol-tolerant cathode catalysts towards the oxygen reduction reaction(ORR) is significant for the large-scale commercialization of direct alcohol fuel cells.Recently, Pd-based nanocrystals have attracted attention as Pt-alternative cathode catalysts towards the ORR in the alkaline electrolyte. Unfortunately, the pristine Pd-based nanocrystals lack the selectivity towards the ORR due to their inherent activity for the alcohol molecule oxidation reaction in the alkaline electrolyte. In this work, polyethyleneimine(PEI) modified Au Pd alloy nanocrystals with Au-rich Au Pd alloy cores and Pd-rich Pd Au alloy shells(AuPd@PdAu-PEI) are successfully synthesized using a traditional chemical reduction method in presence of PEI. The rotating disk electrode(RDE) technique is applied to evaluate the ORR performance of AuPd@PdAu-PEI nanocrystals. Compared with commercial Pd black,AuPd@PdAu-PEI nanocrystals show significantly enhanced activity and durability towards the ORR, and simultaneously exhibit particular alcohol tolerance towards the ORR in the alkaline electrolyte.     

Designing high performance Pt monolayer core–shell electrocatalysts for fuel cells

In proton exchange membrane fuel cells, platinum (Pt) has been the dominant choice for both the cathode and the anode catalysts. The high Pt content and high associated costs particularly at the cathode, and sluggish oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics and poor stability, remain a challenge. Pt monolayer (ML) catalysts offer a distinctively reduced Pt content while providing considerable possibilities for enhancing their catalytic activity and stability for the ORR. In this opinion, we first review the achievement in active and stable Pt ML on palladium (Pd) nanoparticle catalysts for the ORR. We then describe the mechanisms that rationalize their high activity and durability. Recently, we developed several novel nanostructured cores to further improve the ORR activity and stability by optimizing their surface orientation, composition, and morphology. The results from the Pt ML catalysts significantly impact the research of electrocatalysis and fuel-cell technology, as they demonstrate an exceptionally effective way of design and syntheses of catalysts.     

管径对碳纳米管负载铂催化剂氧还原的影响

A series of nanocatalysts consisting of acid treated carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with different diameters (8-15, 20-30, 30-50, >50 nm) supporting platinum (Pt) nanoparticles (Pt/CNTs) were synthesized via a microwave-assisted ethylene glycol method. The as-synthesized catalysts were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Their catalytic performances in the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) were evaluated by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and linear sweep voltammetry (LSV). The experimental results showed that the diameter of the CNTs influences the particle size, loading, and dispersion of Pt NPs. Furthermore, the Pt/CNTs having different CNT diameters displayed different catalytic activities in the ORR. The catalyst Pt/CNT₈, which was prepared by using CNTs with diameters ranging between 8-15 nm as the support, exhibited the highest Pt loading, catalytic activity, and stability in the ORR. The mass activity of Pt/CNT₈ was determined to be 0.188 A·mg^-1 at 0.9 V, which is folds higher than that of the commercially available JM Pt/C catalyst. After testing the stability for 5000 potential cycles, the negative shift (~7 mV) of the half-wave potential for Pt/CNT₈ was found to be significantly lesser than that for the JM Pt/C catalyst (~32 mV), indicating superior catalytic stability.     

钴-聚吡咯-碳载Pt催化剂的制备及其单电池性能研究

采用脉冲微波辅助化学还原法制备了钴-聚吡咯-碳载Pt催化剂(Pt/Co-PPy-C),并将其作为阴极催化剂,组装单电池。考察了电池运行温度和氢气/空气计量比对单电池性能的影响,并与商业Pt/C催化剂进行了耐久性实验比较。 结果表明,运行温度为70 ℃,氢气与空气的计量比为1.2:2.5时单电池性能最佳。600 mA/cm²恒电流稳定运行150 h耐久性测试中,以Pt/Co-PPy-C为阴极催化剂的单电池平均电压衰退率为0.119 mV/h,是商业Pt/C催化剂的26%。耐久性测试前后,单电池的阴极电荷传递阻抗为7.176和8.767 Ω,均比商业Pt/C催化剂阻抗小;Pt颗粒粒径从2.46 nm增长到3.18 nm,均小于商业Pt/C催化剂的粒径。这表明,以Pt/Co-PPy-C催化剂为阴极催化剂制备的单电池性能优良,在质子交换膜燃料电池中有广泛的应用前景。     

Durable electrocatalytic-activity of Pt-Au/C cathode in PEMFCs

Longevity remains as one of the central issues in the successful commercialization of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) and primarily hinges on the durability of the cathode. Incorporation of gold (Au) to platinum (Pt) is known to ameliorate both the electrocatalytic activity and stability of cathode in relation to pristine Pt-cathodes that are currently being used in PEMFCs. In this study, an accelerated stress test (AST) is conducted to simulate prolonged fuel-cell operating conditions by potential cycling the carbon-supported Pt-Au (Pt-Au/C) cathode. The loss in performance of PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode is found to be ～10% after 7000 accelerated potential-cycles as against ～60% for Pt/C cathode under similar conditions. These data are in conformity with the electrochemical surface-area values. PEMFC with Pt-Au/C cathode can withstand >10,000 potential cycles with very little effect on its performance. X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy studies on the catalyst before and after AST suggest that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigate aggregation of Pt particles during prolonged fuel-cell operations while X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy reflects that the metallic nature of Pt is retained in the Pt-Au catalyst during AST in comparison to Pt/C that shows a major portion of Pt to be present as oxidic platinum. Field-emission scanning electron microscopy conducted on the membrane electrode assembly before and after AST suggests that incorporating Au with Pt helps mitigating deformations in the catalyst layer.