Size effect of silver nanoclusters on their catalytic activity for oxygen electro-reduction

Two different sized silver nanoclusters are prepared by two different synthetic routs. First, a small nanocluster (NC) which is 0.7 nm in diameter was synthesized by using meso-2, 3-dimercapto-succinic acid (DMSA) as a capping ligand, and second a larger nanoparticle (NP) which is 3.3 nm in diameter was prepared by chemical reduction and coated with DMSA. The as-prepared silver nanoclusters or nanoparticles are then loaded onto a glassy carbon electrode and the size effect on their electrocatalytic activity toward oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is investigated with electrochemical techniques in alkaline electrolyte. The cyclic voltammetric (CV) studies show that the onset potential of ORR on 0.7 nm silver nanoclusters is 150 mV more positive than that from 3.3 nm silver nanoparticles. And compared to the larger nanoparticles, five times higher current density of ORR at -0.80 V is obtained from the 0.7 nm silver nanoclusters. These CV results indicate that the smaller Ag nanoclusters exhibit higher catalytic performance for ORR. Rotating disk voltammetric studies show ORR on both DMSA monolayer-protected silver clusters is dominated first by a two-electron transfer pathway to produce H(2)O(2) and then peroxide is reduced by 2 more electrons to produce water. (C) 2011 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.