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Updated: Jan 12, 2026

Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
Distinctive Coordination Configuration and Interfacial Water Balance Induced by Anti-Kirkendall Effect Attain
Yan Wang1, Wanying Zhang1, Huiying Meng1
1School of Environmental & Chemical Engineering, Shanghai University, Shanghai, 200444, China.
Abstract:
A critical challenge for the application of direct ethanol fuel cells (DEFCs) lies in the sluggish kinetics of C─C cleavage. Herein, a significant portion of Ni is retained in the interior of nitric acid etched PtFeCoNi pod-like nanowires (PtFeCoNi-N) with incomplete voids/cavities due to anti-Kirkendall effect. The efficient electronic tuning toward surface Pt gives rise to the superior ethanol oxidation reaction (EOR) activity of 1.82 A mgPt -1 and 3.21 mA cm-2, 4.80-fold and 5.10-fold improved relative to Pt/C, respectively. Strikingly, after chronoamperometric test of 50 000 s and 1500 consecutive potential cycles, 86.81% and 82.42% of the initial activity of PtFeCoNi-N are retained. Multiple spectroscopic characterizations reveal that the PtFeCoNi-N shows excellent selectivity toward C1 pathway even above 1.0 V. The lowered Pt coordination related to less occupancy of antibonding states plays a crucial role for enhancement in activity and selectivity. The interfacial microenvironment balance between hydrogen-bonded H2O and free H2O contributes to H2O dissociation for CO* oxidation. Density functional theory elucidates the origin of anti-Kirkendall effect and the intimate electronic interaction with surface Pt that endows PtFeCoNi-N with superior inclination toward C1 pathway. This work presents a novel catalyst design strategy of reversing the dissolution of transition metals.
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