Pt-Au alloy nanoparticles synthesized by glow discharge plasma for enhanced methanol oxidation reaction performance

Pt-Au alloy is greatly important to direct methanol fuel cells as electrocatalysts given its stability and anti-COads poisoning ability. Herein, Pt and Au ions are successfully prepared into Pt-Au alloy nanoparticles by glow discharge plasma without a reducing agent at room temperature. The high electrons from plasma accelerate to form intermetallic compounds. The low operating temperature of plasma inhibits the agglomeration of particles. Compared with the samples by traditional hydrogen thermal reduction, the catalytic activity and stability of samples in the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) by plasma are improved due to the stronger metal-metal interaction and smaller size of nanoparticles. The optimal proportion of Pt15Au5/C showed the highest mass activity and specific activity of 1.52 and 6.59 times those of commercial JM Pt/C in electrocatalytic methanol oxidation.