A one-step, clean, capping-agent-free electrochemical approach to prepare Pt nanoparticles with preferential (100) orientation and their high electrocatalytic activities

• Develop electrochemical method to prepare (100)-oriented Pt nanoparticles
• The preferential orientation can be controlled by adjusting electrodeposition current density.
• The method is simple and free of templates and organic additives.
• The specific activity of (100)-oriented Pt nanoparticles increases by 2–3-fold.

A clean and simple electrodeposition method without the use of any organic additives has been reported to prepare platinum nanoparticles with preferential (100) orientation directly on the conductive substrate. The formation of platinum nanoparticles exposing (100) facets was confirmed by electrochemical methods and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The fraction of Pt (100) sites increases as the electrodeposition current density increases from 0.2 to 10 mA cm− 2. Furthermore, as the Pt (100) fraction increases, the specific activity of the Pt particles for ammonia oxidation increases obviously.