Concave Pt-Cu-Fe ternary nanocubes:One-pot synthesis and their electrocatalytic activity of methanol and formic acid oxidation

Concave nanostructures may be developed to improve the specific mass activity of a catalyst for formic acid and methanol electro-oxidation. In this work, we report the elctrocatalytic oxidation of methanol and formic acid in acid medium over concave Pt-Cu-Fe ternary nanocubes (NCs), obtained by the galvanic exchange of Pt and Fe on Cu NCs. The concave Pt-Cu-Fe NCs exhibited improved electrooxidation performance contrasted to Pt-Cu NCs and purchased commercial Pt/C as demonstrated by their improved durability, lower onset potential, and more preferable anti-poisoning properties. These properties are believed to originate from the tailored concave structure of the catalyst and possible synergetic effects among the components of the Pt-Cu-Fe NCs.     

The study of phase,microstructure, and magnetocaloric properties in LaFe11.6*xSi1.4B0.1 alloys

The effect of Fe on the phase and magnetocaloric property of LaFe_11.6*xSi_1.4B_0.1 alloys with x = 1.0–1.4 have been studied. The results show that the excess of Fe will make the α-Fe phases increase, but the easy corrosion LaFeSi phase reduces in LaFe_11.6*xSi_1.4B_0.1 alloys. All LaFe_11.6*xSi_1.4B_0.1 alloys keep the first-order magnetic phase transition. The saturation magnetizations of LaFe_11.6*xSi_1.4B_0.1 alloys with x > 1 are much higher than LaFe_11.6Si_1.4B_0.1 alloy under 2T magnetic field. This results in the maximum isothermal magnetic entropy changes, and the relative cooling power of LaFe_11.6*xSi_1.4B_0.1 alloys is bigger than for LaFe_11.6Si_1.4B_0.1 alloys.     

Tuning Nanoparticle Catalysis for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Advances in chemical syntheses have led to the formation of various kinds of nanoparticles (NPs) with more rational control of size, shape, composition, structure and catalysis. This review highlights recent efforts in the development of Pt and non‐Pt based NPs into advanced nanocatalysts for efficient oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) under fuel‐cell reaction conditions. It first outlines the shape controlled synthesis of Pt NPs and their shape‐dependent ORR. Then it summarizes the studies of alloy and core–shell NPs with controlled electronic (alloying) and strain (geometric) effects for tuning ORR catalysis. It further provides a brief overview of ORR catalytic enhancement with Pt‐based NPs supported on graphene and coated with an ionic liquid. The review finally introduces some non‐Pt NPs as a new generation of catalysts for ORR. The reported new syntheses with NP parameter‐tuning capability should pave the way for future development of highly efficient catalysts for applications in fuel cells, metal‐air batteries, and even in other important chemical reactions.     

Underpotential Deposition‐Induced Synthesis of Composition‐Tunable Pt?Cu Nanocrystals and Their Catalytic Properties

Pt? Cu alloy octahedral nanocrystals (NCs) have been synthesized successfully by using N,N‐dimethylformamide as both the solvent and the reducing agent in the presence of cetyltrimethylammonium chloride. Cu underpotential deposition (UPD) is found to play a key role in the formation of the Pt? Cu alloy NCs. The composition in the Pt? Cu alloy can be tuned by adjusting the ratio of metal precursors in solution. However, the Cu content in the Pt? Cu alloy NCs cannot exceed 50 %. Due to the fact that Cu precursor cannot be reduced to metallic copper and the Cu content cannot exceed 50 %, we achieved the formation of the Pt? Cu alloy by using Cu UPD on the Pt surface. In addition, the catalytic activities of Pt? Cu alloy NCs with different composition were investigated in electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid. The results reveal that the catalytic performance is strongly dependent on Pt? Cu alloy composition. The sample of Pt₅₀Cu₅₀ exhibits excellent activity in electrocatalytic oxidation of formic acid.     

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.     

钪元素对AB2型合金Zr1-xScxMn0.6V0.2Ni1.2Co0.1（x=0～1）储氢和电化学性能的影响

用真空电弧熔炼方法制备了Zr1-xScxMn0.6V0.2Ni1.2Co0.1(x=0～1)AB2型储氢合金,研究了Sc元素替代Zr对合金的微观组织结构、气态储氢及电化学性能的影响。研究结果表明,Zr1-xScxMn0.6V0.2Ni1.2Co0.1合金主要是由FCC型C15相、CsCl型结构的(ScZr)Ni相和少量的Ni10Zr7相组成,随Sc含量的增加,C15相丰度逐渐减小,(ScZr)Ni相丰度逐渐增加,当x=0.2时Ni10Zr7相基本消失;Sc元素对合金的首次气态吸氢动力学行为影响较大,随Sc含量的增加,合金吸氢动力学性能逐渐变缓,但吸氢容量逐渐提高,直至达x=1.0时的最大吸氢量1.87%;Sc元素对合金吸氢PCT曲线平衡氢压的影响规律不明显,随Sc含量增加,合金氢化物的形成焓ΔH从-26.66 kJ.mol-1逐渐减小到-8.14 kJ.mol-1。Sc元素的加入可明显改善合金电极的活化性能,提高放电容量,随Sc含量的增加,合金电极最大放电容量从x=0时的350.3 mAh.g-1增加到x=1时的429.8 mAh.g-1,呈先减小后增大的趋势,但电极容量的保持率S100随Sc含量增加而快速下降。     

An investigation on surface tensions of Pb-free solder materials

Surface tensions of some Pb-free solder systems such as Ag–Bi–Sn with cross-sections Ag/Bi = 1/1, Ag/Bi = 1/2, Ag/Bi = 2/1, In–Sn–Zn with cross-sections Sn/In = 1/1, Sn/In = 1/3 and (Ag₇Cu₃)_100?x Sn_x with cross-section Ag/Cu = 7/3 are calculated from the sub-binary surface tension data using the models, such as the Muggianu, Kohler, Toop models, Butler’s equation and Chou’s General Solution Model (GSM) at 873, 923 and 1073 K, respectively. The surface tension of In–Sn–Zn increases wavily with increasing amount of Zn and it is found that the best models are the GSM for both cross-sections in question while GSM becomes the best model for (Ag₇Cu₃)_100?x Sn_x alloy in the whole experimental range. Moreover, the surface tension of (Ag₇Cu₃)_100?x Sn_x decreases slightly with increasing amount of Sn. The Muggianu, Butler and Butler models are determined as the best models for the cross-sections in the order given above for entire measurement range, respectively, and the surface tension of Ag–Bi–Sn decreases slightly with an increasing amount of Bi and Ag but increases with increasing Sn in liquid alloys.     

Microstructures and soft magnetic properties of Fe80P20-xSix (x = 4.5–6.5) amorphous ribbons

Fe-based amorphous ribbons with excellent soft magnetic properties and mechanical properties were prepared in the Fe–Si–P ternary system. Enhanced soft magnetic properties could be achieved through annealing treatment of the ribbons for 1 h at 325 °C, which is far below the glass transition temperatures (462–474 °C). Icosahedral medium-range ordering with a size range of around 2 nm occurred throughout the amorphous matrix during the low-temperature annealing treatment. The annealed ribbons exhibited improved magnetic saturation of over 185 emu/g while maintaining good mechanical flexibility. During icosahedral ordering, the distance between the Fe atoms and the coordination number within the amorphous ribbon can be optimised for achieving high magnetic saturation. However, nanocrystallisation of the SiP and Fe₂P transition phases embedded within the amorphous matrix occurred after the annealing treatment for 1 h at 385 °C, which caused deterioration of the soft magnetic properties and mechanical flexibility of the ribbons. Therefore, the combination of high magnetic saturation and mechanical flexibility of the amorphous ribbons could be optimised through low-temperature annealing treatment without any nanocrystallisation.     

Spectral probing of carrier traps in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals

Photogenerated carriers in Si–Ge alloy nanocrystals (NCs) prepared by co‐sputtering method were investigated by mean of transient induced absorption. The carrier relaxation features multiple components, with three decay life times of τ ≈ 600 fs, 12 ps, and 15 ns, established for Si_0.2Ge_0.8 alloy NCs of a mean crystal size of 9 nm and standard deviation of 3 nm. Deep carrier traps, identified at the boundary between the NCs and the SiO₂ host with the ionization energy of about 1 eV, are characterized by a long‐range Coulombic potential. These are responsible for rapid depletion of free carrier population within a few picoseconds after the excitation, which explains the low emissivity of the investigated materials, and also sheds light on the generally low luminescence of Si/Ge and Ge NCs. (© 2016 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH &Co. KGaA, Weinheim)