Controlling core/shell Au/FePt nanoparticle electrocatalysis via changing the core size and shell thickness

Area of Science:

• Nanotechnology
• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry

Background:

• Core/shell nanoparticles offer tunable properties for catalysis.
• Gold/iron platinum (Au/FePt) nanoparticles are promising electrocatalysts.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize and characterize Au/FePt core/shell nanoparticles.
• To investigate the effect of core size and shell thickness on electrocatalytic methanol oxidation.
• To demonstrate a general strategy for designing efficient core/shell electrocatalysts.

Main Methods:

• Modified seed-mediated synthesis of Au/FePt core/shell nanoparticles.
• Controlled variation of gold core size (4, 7, 9 nm) and FePt shell thickness (0.5, 1, 2 nm).
• Electrochemical characterization and evaluation of methanol oxidation activity and stability.

Main Results:

• The gold core influenced the redox chemistry of the FePt shell, enhancing methanol electro-oxidation.
• Catalytic activity was sensitive to FePt shell thickness, with 1 nm being optimal.
• Optimal 1 nm FePt shell thickness yielded high activity (1.19 mA cm(-2)) and enhanced stability.
• Gold core size had minimal impact on catalytic performance.

Conclusions:

• Au/FePt core/shell nanoparticles are effective electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation.
• Shell thickness is a critical parameter for tuning catalytic performance in core/shell structures.
• This work presents a versatile method for designing advanced core/shell nanomaterials for electrocatalysis.