Enhancement of oxygen reduction reaction activity by grain boundaries in platinum nanostructures

Systematic control of grain boundary densities in various platinum (Pt) nanostructures was achieved by specific peptide-assisted assembly and coagulation of nanocrystals. A positive quadratic correlation was observed between the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) specific activities of the Pt nanostructures and the grain boundary densities on their surfaces. Compared to commercial Pt/C, the grain-boundary-rich strain-free Pt ultrathin nanoplates demonstrated a 15.5 times higher specific activity and a 13.7 times higher mass activity. Simulation studies suggested that the specific activity of ORR was proportional to the resident number and the resident time of oxygen on the catalyst surface, both of which correlate positively with grain boundary density, leading to improved ORR activities.