Ultrathin PtRu Nanowires as Efficient and Stable Electrocatalyst for Liquid Fuel Oxidation Reactions

Abstract

Direct liquid fuel cells (DLFCs) are promising clean energy conversion devices for their high energy density, low environmental pollution, and convenient transportation and storage. However, the commercialization of DLFCs is still limited by the lack of highly active and stable catalysts for the anodic oxidation of liquid fuels. Herein, a new class of ultrathin PtRu nanowires (NWs) with a diameter of 1.1 nm was synthesized via a colloidal chemistry strategy. The as-made ultrathin PtRu NWs can not only expose large active sites but also enhance the kinetics of methanol oxidation reaction, which was confirmed by the in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. Consequently, ultrathin PtRu NWs exhibit greatly boosted activity and stability for methanol and ethanol oxidation reactions in an alkaline medium.