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Multiscale Sampling of a Heterogeneous Water/Metal Catalyst Interface using Density Functional Theory and Force-Field Molecular Dynamics
Published on: April 12, 2019
The difference in electrocatalytic activity between Pt(110)-(1 × 2) and Pt(110)-(1 × 1) surfaces for methanol
Shengyuan Weng1, Zhibin Tan1, Zhaoqi Zhang1
1College of Chemical Engineering, China University of Mining and Technology, Xuzhou 221116, People's Republic of China. chwpan@cumt.edu.cn.
None:
The impact of Pt(110) reconstruction on the methanol oxidation reaction in 0.1 M HClO4 solution was investigated by combining cyclic voltammetry, blank solution replacement, CO stripping, and in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Distinct CO accumulation and CO2 formation behaviors were identified on three different Pt(110) surfaces: (1 × 2), (1 × 1), and mixed (1 × 1, 1 × 2). The Pt(110)-(1 × 2) surface exhibits relatively weak poisoning and a high current of electro-oxidation at high applied potential, whereas Pt(110)-(1 × 1) is severely poisoned by strongly adsorbed CO with a peak adsorption intensity at the potential of 0.20 V (vs. RHE), which leads to kinetically hindered oxidation at high applied potential. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the (1 × 1) surface exhibits a lower activation energy for CO formation via methanol dehydrogenation, a lower adsorption free energy of both CO and OH, and a higher activation energy for CO removal by OH, thus explaining its more serious CO poisoning of methanol oxidation, less positive starting oxidation potential and smaller current density of CO stripping compared to Pt(110)-(1 × 2) surfaces for methanol electrooxidation and CO stripping. This study establishes a direct link between surface reconstruction, hydroxyl adsorption energetics, and MOR selectivity, providing mechanistic guidelines for tailoring platinum electrocatalysts with improved activity and CO tolerance.
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