Tetrahexahedral Pt–Pd alloy nanocatalysts with high-index facets: an atomistic perspective on thermodynamic and shape stabilities

Abstract

Metallic nanoparticles with high-index facets exhibit exceptional electrocatalytic activity owing to the high density of low coordination sites at the surface, thus they have attracted intense interest over the past few years. Alloying could further improve their catalytic activity by the synergy effects of high-index facets and electronic structures of components. Using atomistic simulations, we have investigated thermodynamic and shape stabilities of tetrahexahedral Pt–Pd alloy nanoparticles respectively bound by {210} and {310} facets. Energy minimization through Monte Carlo simulations has indicated that the outermost layer is predominated by Pd atoms while Pt atoms preferentially occupy the sub-outermost layer of nanoparticles. Molecular dynamics simulations of the heating process have shown that the {210} faceted nanoparticles possess better thermodynamic and shape stabilities than the {310} faceted ones. The coordination numbers of surface atoms were used to explore the potential origin of the different stabilities. Furthermore, a high Pt ratio will help enhance their stabilities. For both faceted nanoparticles, the melting has homogeneously developed from the surface into the core, and the tetrahexahedra have finally evolved into sphere-like shape prior to the overall melting. These results are helpful for understanding the composition and thermodynamic properties of high-index faceted nanoparticles, and are also of practical importance to the development of alloy nanocatalysts.