High-yield, size-controlled synthesis of silver nanoplates and their applications as methanol-tolerant electrocatalysts in oxygen reduction reaction

A novel method for the synthesis of as-prepared Ag nanoplates in high yield and the control of their dimensions has been developed. In this method, hexadecyltrimethyl ammonium ions (CTA+) are used as a trace additive in a seed solution for blocking the seed surface to govern the growth direction on nanoplate in the growth pathway, leading to a high-yield production of the Ag nanoplates with mixed morphologies, mainly triangular nanoplates and nanodisks. The spectra of the obtained nanoplate solution showed a high-intensity peak attributed to the in-plane dipole resonance and a low-intensity peak at 400 nm. By decreasing the amount of CTA+, the mean edge length of triangular nanoplates could be changed from ∼78.7 nm–∼124.8 nm. The in-plane dipole resonance peak corresponding to change in the mean edge length shifted from 630 nm to 785 nm, respectively. The mean edge length of triangular nanoplates could also be controlled from 70 nm to 148 nm by decreasing the CTA+-adsorbed seed amount. To investigate the practical feasibility of application of the proposed method, the prepared nanoplates were used as a methanol-tolerant electrocatalyst in an oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). An analysis conducted using a rotating ring-disk electrode showed that these nanoplates have high activity towards the ORR and that the electron transfer numbers (n) were 3.85, 3.83, 3.81, and 2.94 for 70 nm, 124 nm, 148 nm nanoplates, and macroscopic Ag electrode, respectively. If the present of methanol, the corresponding n values of 3.82, 3.81, 3.78, and 2.30 were detected. Despite working in the methanol-tolerant solution, the prepared Ag nanoplates still exhibited high electroactivity and their ORR proceeded via an approaching 4-electron pathway.

► A method for the synthesis of Ag nanoplates in high yield and the dimensional control is proposed.
► CTA+s are used as a trace additive to govern the growth direction on nanoplate.
► The methanol-tolerant properties of the nanoplates in oxygen reduction reaction are studied.