Ultra-high-performance core-shell structured Ru@Pt/C catalyst prepared by a facile pulse electrochemical deposition...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Core-shell catalysts offer high noble metal utilization for fuel cells.
• Developing efficient and stable catalysts is crucial for advancing fuel cell technology.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel core-shell catalyst, Ru@Pt/C, using a pulse electrochemical deposition (PED) method.
• To evaluate the catalytic performance and stability of the Ru@Pt/C catalyst for fuel cell applications.

Main Methods:

• Pulse electrochemical deposition (PED) was employed to synthesize the Ru@Pt/C core-shell catalyst.
• Electrochemical techniques were used to assess the catalyst's activity for methanol oxidation and oxygen reduction.

Main Results:

• The Ru@Pt/C catalyst exhibited over four times higher mass activity for methanol oxidation compared to commercial Pt/C.
• The catalyst demonstrated 3.6 times higher mass activity for oxygen reduction and doubled intrinsic Pt activity.
• Superior stability was observed, retaining 90% of peak current after 2000 scans.

Conclusions:

• The novel PED approach is effective for creating high-performance core-shell catalysts.
• Ru@Pt/C demonstrates significant potential as an advanced catalyst for fuel cells.
• The core-shell structure enhances both activity and stability, showcasing efficient noble metal utilization.