Hierarchically Fractal PtPdCu Sponges and their Directed Mass- and Electron-Transfer Effects

Fractal Pt-based materials with hierarchical structures and high self-similarity have attracted more and more attention due to their bioinspiring maximum optimization of energy utilization and mass transfer. However, their high-efficiency design of the mass- and electron-transfer still remains to be a great challenge. Herein, fractal PtPdCu hollow sponges (denoted as PtPdCu-HS) facilitating both directed mass- and electron-transfer are presented. Such directed transfer effects greatly promote electrocatalytic activity, regarded as 3.9 times the mass activity, 7.3 times the specific activity, higher poison tolerance, and higher stability than commercial Pt/C for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). A new directed mass- and electron-transfer concept, characteristics, and mechanism are proposed at the micro/nanoscale to clarify the structural design and functional enhancement of fractal electrocatalyst. This work displays new possibilities for designing novel nanomaterials with high activity and superior stability toward electrocatalysis or other practical applications.

Automated summary

Fractal PtPdCu hollow sponges (PtPdCu-HS) are introduced as a novel electrocatalyst with directed mass- and electron-transfer, exhibiting significantly higher performance compared to commercial Pt/C. A new concept and mechanism of directed transfer effects are proposed, offering possibilities for designing high-activity and stable nanomaterials for electrocatalysis and other practical applications.