Investigation of Au@Pt/C electro-catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction

Carbon-supported Au@Pt core shell nano-structured catalysts were synthesized by the seed-mediated growth method. The nano-structured catalysts were characterized by UV–vis spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectra (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) techniques. The oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity of the Au@Pt/C was tested by means of linear sweep voltammetry (LSV) by employing rotating disk electrode (RDE). It revealed that Au@Pt (2:4)/C (atomic ratio) catalyst exhibited the best catalytic activity toward ORR. Au@Pt (2:4)/C proceeded by an approximately four-electron pathway in acid solution, through which molecular oxygen was directly reduced to water. The stability of Au@Pt (2:4)/C is tested by cyclic voltammetry for 500 cycles. The performance of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) prepared by Au@Pt (2:4)/C as the cathode catalyst in a single proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) generated a maximum power density of 479 mW cm−2 at 0.431 V using H2 and O2 at 80 °C.

► Au@Pt core shell catalyst.
► Seed-mediated growth method.
► Au@Pt (2:4)/C best activity toward ORR.
► Four-electron pathway in acid solution.
► Single cell performance.