Facile synthesis of golf ball-like Pt–Cu nanospheres as an electrocatalyst for high-efficiency methanol oxidation

Abstract

Catalyst morphology and composition are key factors in improving activity and lowering the cost for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), which are vital for the practical use of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs). In this study, Pt–Cu golf ball-like nanospheres (Pt–Cu GBNs) with various Pt/Cu ratios were prepared using water as a solvent and low temperature. Their morphology, crystal structure, and surface characteristics were analyzed using SEM, TEM, XRD and XPS. The MOR performance was measured by CV, CA, ECSA and CO stripping. The optimal catalyst Pt₂Cu GBNs exhibited a mass activity equal to 1710 mA mg⁻¹_Pt, which was 5.4 times and 3.1 times those of Pt GBNs and commercial Pt/C, respectively. Furthermore, chronoamperometry (CA) and CO stripping analyses demonstrated that Pt₂Cu GBNs possessed excellent durability and strong CO tolerance. The increased catalytic efficiency has been ascribed to the presence of Cu and the abundance of active sites, offering a promising approach for designing efficient catalysts for DMFC application.