Preparation of ordered mesoporous carbons containing well-dispersed and highly alloying Pt–Co bimetallic nanoparticles toward methanol-resistant oxygen reduction reaction

A simple route is described for the synthesis of well-dispersed and highly alloying PtCo bifunctional nanoparticles supported on ordered mesoporous carbons (Pt100−xCox/OMC) by the simultaneous pyrolysis of carbon and metal precursors in a mesoporous silica as the hard template. A variety of different spectroscopic and analytical techniques was used to thoroughly characterize the Pt100−xCox/OMC samples. By X-ray diffraction, N2 adsorption/desorption isotherms and transmission electron microscopy, it was found that Pt100−xCox/OMC possessed well-dispersed Pt/PtCo nanoparticles (2–3 nm) supported on high surface area (∼1000 m2 g−1) and regular pore channels (∼2.8 nm). Among Pt100−xCox/OMC catalysts, the Pt50Co50/OMC was found to have superior electrocatalytic activity and the tolerance to methanol crossover during oxygen reduction reaction as compared to typical commercial electrocatalysts. This may be attributed to the dispersion and unique nanostructure of highly alloyed PtCo nanoparticles supported on Pt50Co50/OMC evidenced by X-ray absorption spectroscopy.

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► A novel route has been developed to synthesize well-dispersed and alloying PtCo nanoparticles supported on nanostructure carbons.
► Electrochemical measurements of oxygen reduction demonstrated that synthesized materials possess high catalytic activity and surpassing methanol tolerance compared to common commercial catalysts.
► This may be attributed to the dispersion and unique nanostructure of highly alloyed PtCo nanoparticles supported on synthesized catalysts.