Issue 8, 2016

Catalytic activities for methanol oxidation on ultrathin CuPt3 wavy nanowires with/without smart polymer

Abstract

Superior catalytic activity and stability for the methanol oxidation reaction of a direct methanol–air fuel cell is achieved with “clean” ultrathin CuPt3 wavy nanowires. The nanowires are synthesized for the first time by functionalizing CuPt3 nanoparticles with amine-terminated poly(N-isopropylacrylamide), a thermosensitive “smart” polymer having a phase transition at a liquid-electrolyte Tt (low critical solution temperature, 35 °C). Interestingly, retention of the functionalizing smart polymer on the surface of the nanowires reversibly switches the catalytic activity to lower rates above the Tt. The catalytic performance of the “clean” CuPt3 nanowires is shown to be significantly improved over that of commercial Pt black catalyst, owing to their unique structural advantages and bimetallic synergetic effect.

Graphical abstract: Catalytic activities for methanol oxidation on ultrathin CuPt3 wavy nanowires with/without smart polymer

Supplementary files

Article information

Article type
Edge Article
Submitted
05 4 2016
Accepted
04 5 2016
First published
17 5 2016
This article is Open Access

All publication charges for this article have been paid for by the Royal Society of Chemistry
Creative Commons BY license

Chem. Sci., 2016,7, 5414-5420

Catalytic activities for methanol oxidation on ultrathin CuPt3 wavy nanowires with/without smart polymer

G. Fu, X. Yan, Z. Cui, D. Sun, L. Xu, Y. Tang, J. B. Goodenough and J. Lee, Chem. Sci., 2016, 7, 5414 DOI: 10.1039/C6SC01501H

This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported Licence. You can use material from this article in other publications without requesting further permissions from the RSC, provided that the correct acknowledgement is given.

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