Highly graphitized carbon-wrapped PtFeCo alloy with enhanced durability and activity toward methanol electro-oxidation

Exploring efficient strategies to construct durable and active Pt-based electrocatalysts toward methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) remains great significance for the application of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). Here, we report a facile pyrolysis procedure for fabricating carbon layer wrapped PtFeCo alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT). Physical characterizations demonstrate that the nitrogen-doped carbon support is highly graphitized and the PtFeCo particles are firmly wrapped by the graphitized carbon. Since the wrapping of highly graphitized carbon effectively prevents PtFeCo alloy from metal dissolution, the durability of the synthesized PtFeCo/Co-NCNTa catalyst has been substantially improved, remaining about 76% of its initial mass activity after 1000 cycles of durability test in acid condition. In addition, due to the strain and ligand effects caused by alloying Pt with Fe and Co, the PtFeCo/Co-NCNTa catalyst exhibits a greatly enhanced mass activity of 4.2-fold and a specific activity of 6.3-fold higher than those of commercial Pt/C-JM catalyst. Conse-quently, this work may provide an effective route for preparing durable and active Pt-based catalysts for methanol electro-oxidation. (C) 2022 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

Efficient strategies for constructing durable and active Pt-based electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) are of great significance for the application of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). This study reports a facile pyrolysis procedure to fabricate carbon layer wrapped PtFeCo alloy nanoparticles supported on nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes (NCNT). The nitrogen-doped carbon support is highly graphitized, and the PtFeCo particles are firmly wrapped by the graphitized carbon, leading to improved durability and activity of the catalyst.