Ni(OH)₂ Decorated Pt-Cu Octahedra for Ethanol Electrooxidation Reaction

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electrochemistry
• Catalysis

Background:

• Ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) is crucial for clean energy technologies.
• CO poisoning remains a significant challenge for electrocatalysts in EOR.
• Platinum-copper (Pt-Cu) alloys show promise but require further enhancement for CO tolerance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To synthesize novel Ni(OH)2-decorated Pt-Cu octahedra for enhanced EOR electrocatalysis.
• To investigate the role of Ni(OH)2 in improving CO tolerance and catalytic activity.
• To evaluate the performance of the new catalyst compared to existing materials.

Main Methods:

• One-pot synthesis of 9 nm Ni(OH)2-decorated Pt-Cu octahedra using CO gas as a selective capping agent.
• Characterization of the synthesized Ni(OH)2-PtCu nanomaterials.
• Electrocatalytic testing of Ni(OH)2-PtCu/C for ethanol oxidation reaction in acidic electrolyte.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized Ni(OH)2-PtCu octahedra with Ni(OH)2 naturally deposited on the Pt-Cu surface.
• The Ni(OH)2-PtCu/C catalyst exhibited significantly enhanced CO tolerance due to facilitated water dissolution and CO oxidation.
• Pt-Cu alloy composition further contributed to CO tolerance by modifying the Pt d-band structure.

Conclusions:

• Ni(OH)2 decoration on Pt-Cu octahedra effectively enhances CO tolerance in EOR electrocatalysis.
• The developed Ni(OH)2-PtCu/C catalyst demonstrates superior activity and durability compared to Pt-Cu octahedra and commercial Pt/C.
• This work presents a promising strategy for designing advanced electrocatalysts for fuel cell applications.