Polyhedron-Assembled Ternary PtCuCo Nanochains: Integrated Functions Enhance the Electrocatalytic Performance of Methanol Oxidation at Elevated Temperature.

Recently, the preparing high-performance one-dimensional alloy nanostructure for fuel cells is paid increasing attentions due to it's smart structure merits and electronic effect triggered by alloying of different kinds of metals at nanoscale. In this study, unique ternary PtCuCo nanochains assembled with small polyhedra are firstly achieved and used as high-performance anode electrocatalysts toward methanol oxidation at elevated temperature (60 °C) that is more relevant to the operating temperature of direct methanol fuel cells than room temperature. The specific activity/mass activity of Pt45Cu35Co20 one-dimensional nanochains can reach up to 18.24 mA cm-2/4.19 A mg-1Pt that is 9.25/10.47 times that of commercial Pt black in sulfuric acid medium. After 3600 seconds durability test, the remaining current density of Pt45Cu35Co20 one-dimensional nanochains is 73.3 times that of commercial Pt black. The structure characterizations show that high density of surface active sites, d-band center of Pt downshift, moderate strain effect and synergetic effect are jointly responsible to the enhanced electrocatalytic performance of one-dimensional ternary PtCuCo nanochains.