TePbPt alloy nanotube as electrocatalyst with enhanced performance towards methanol oxidation reaction

Abstract

In this study, a ternary TePbPt alloy nanotube (NT) catalyst was designed based on the following rational considerations. Pb and Te, which could facilitate the removal of adsorbed CO-like intermediates via bifunctional mechanisms and adjust the electronic structure of Pt, respectively, were introduced into the alloy NT catalyst. The as-designed alloy NT catalyst with a uniform, ultrathin, and ultralong structure was precisely prepared through the hard template method with pre-synthesized TePb nanowires used as the sacrificial template. The NT catalyst exhibits excellent performances towards methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) both in activity and durability in an acidic medium. Further characterizations reveal that the enhanced performances are attributed to the adjusted electronic and chemical structures of Pt via the interactions among Pt, Te, and Pb according to complex mechanisms, which are illustrated in detail.