Performance of silver nanocubes based on electrochemical surface area for catalyzing oxygen reduction reaction

Ag nanocubes that are 45 nm in size are synthesized and successfully used as catalysts in oxygen electroreduction. Electrochemical surface areas (ESAs) are considered to determine the effect on HO2− production, which is found to be in the following order: nanocubes < nanoparticles. Comparative data generated using Tafel analyses in 0.1 M NaOH electrolyte without and with methanol show that unchanged slopes on the prepared cubic catalysts can indicate high resistance of Ag nanocubes for methanol oxidation during oxygen reduction reaction. Among these Ag catalysts, nanocubes exhibit 9.29 × 10− 2 mA cm− 2 (at − 0.15 V vs. Ag/AgCl), the better activity in the oxygen reduction reaction.

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► Ag nanocubes are synthesized and successfully used as catalysts in oxygen reduction.
► Strong (200) peak in XRD spectra indicates the nanocube enclosed with (100) planes.
► Electrochemical surface areas are considered to determine HO2− production.
► Nanocubes < polyhedron for HO2- amount is detected.
► 45 nm nanocubes exhibit the better activity in the oxygen reduction reaction.