Atomic-scale restructuring of hollow PtNi/C electrocatalysts during accelerated stress tests

Hollow nanomaterials composed of a Pt-rich shell surrounding a central void have demonstrated promising electrocatalytic activity for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). However, their long-term stability remains understudied, and is the focus of the present paper. Here, we followed the temperature-dependent morphological and compositional trajectories of hollow PtNi/C nanoparticles during accelerated stress tests (AST) of interest for proton-exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC) applications. The combined physical, chemical and electrochemical results showed that: (i) the PtNi/C nanoparticles preserve a hollow nanostructure during accelerated stress testing at T=25 degrees C, but collapsed in real PEMFC operating conditions (solid electrolyte - T=80 degrees C), (ii) the dissolution of Ni atoms is drastically enhanced with an increase of the temperature, almost all Ni atoms being leached after the AST conducted in a single PEMFC, (iii) a lattice strain of ca. 0.4% persists in the aged hollow PtNi/C nanocatalysts, (iv) whatever the AST conditions, hollow PtNi/C nanocatalysts show improved ORR activity over solid Pt/C nanocatalysts of the same crystallite size. The catalytic enhancement is believed to result from the presence of subsurface vacancies in the dealloyed hollow PtNi/C nanoparticles. In a more global perspective, the present contribution emphasizes the crucial role of temperature on the stability of shape-controlled particles (far from their equilibrium shape). (C) 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.