Aqueous Synthesis of Au10Pt1 Nanorods Decorated with MnO2 Nanosheets for the Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

Abstract

Developing novel catalysts with high activity and high stability for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is of great importance for the ever-broader applications of methanol fuel cells. Herein, we present a facile technique for synthesizing Au10Pt1@MnO2 catalysts using a wet chemical method and investigate their catalytic performance for the MOR. Notably, the Au10Pt1@MnO2-M composite demonstrated a significantly high peak mass activity of 15.52 A mg(Pt)−1, which is 35.3, 57.5, and 21.9 times greater than those of the Pt/C (0.44 A mg(Pt)−1), Pd/C (0.27 A mg(Pt)−1), and Au10Pt1 (0.71 A mg(Pt)−1) catalysts, respectively. Comparative analysis with commercial Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts, as well as Au10Pt1 HSNRs, revealed that the Au10Pt1@MnO2-M composite exhibited the lowest initial potential, the highest peak current density, and superior CO anti-poisoning capability. The results demonstrate that the introduction of MnO2 nanosheets, with excellent oxidation capability, not only significantly increases the reactive sites, but also promotes the reaction kinetics of the catalyst. Furthermore, the high surface area of the MnO2 nanosheets facilitates charge transfer and induces modifications in the electronic structure of the composite. This research provides a straightforward and effective strategy for the design of efficient electrocatalytic nanostructures for MOR applications.