Rational one-pot synthesis of ternary PtIrCu nanocrystals as robust electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction

Development of self-assembled nanoarchitectures of tailored morphology and composition for diversified applications have received great interest in the last decades. Pt-based nanocrystals (NCs) exhibited enhanced catalytic performance towards different applications specially as electrocatalysts for fuel cells. Herein, ternary PtIrCu nanocrystals (NCs) were prepared via one-pot synthesis procedure and employed as electrocatalyst for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) in acid medium. The as-prepared ternary NCs exhibited mass activity of 863 mA mg(-1) which is almost 1.5, 2.2, and 6.0 times more greater than that of PtCu, PtIr, and PVC, respectively. Additionally, after stability test for 1000 s, the retained current density on PtIrCu NCs was 13.6 times higher than that on PVC. The enhanced catalytic activity and durability of ternary PtIrCu NCs compared to PtCu, PtIr, and PVC was assigned to the strain and electronic effects which enhance the oxidation kinetics and enhance the poisoning tolerance towards CO-like intermediate species.