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Structure/Processing/Properties Relationships in Nanoporous Nanoparticles As Applied to Catalysis of the Cathodic Oxygen Reduction Reaction
Journal article   Peer reviewed

Structure/Processing/Properties Relationships in Nanoporous Nanoparticles As Applied to Catalysis of the Cathodic Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Joshua Snyder, Ian McCue, Ken Livi and Jonah Erlebacher
Journal of the American Chemical Society, v 134(20), pp 8633-8645
23 May 2012
PMID: 22533802

Abstract

Chemistry Chemistry, Multidisciplinary Physical Sciences Science & Technology
We present a comprehensive experimental study of the formation and activity of dealloyed nanoporous Ni/Pt alloy nanoparticles for the cathodic oxygen reduction reaction. By addressing the kinetics of nucleation during solvothermal synthesis we developed a method to control the size and composition of Ni/Pt alloy nanoparticles over a broad range while maintaining an adequate size distribution. Electrochemical dealloying of these size-controlled nanoparticles was used to explore conditions in which hierarchical nanoporosity within nanoparticles can evolve. Our results show that in order to evolve fully formed porosity, particles must have a minimum diameter of similar to 15 nm, a result consistent with the surface kinetic processes occurring during dealloying. Nanoporous nanoparticles possess ligaments and voids with diameters of approximately 2 nm, high surface area/mass ratios usually associated with much smaller particles, and a composition consistent with a Pt-skeleton covering a Ni/Pt alloy core. Electrochemical measurements show that the mass activity for the oxygen reduction reaction using carbon-supported nanoporous Ni/Pt nanoparticles is nearly four times that of commercial Pt/C catalyst and even exceeds that of comparable nonporous Pt-skeleton Ni/Pt alloy nanoparticles.

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Web of Science research areas
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
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