Highly active Pt–Ru nanowire network catalysts for the methanol oxidation reaction

Platinum–ruthenium alloy nanowire networks (Pt–Ru NWNs) have been successfully synthesized by a surfactant assisted soft template strategy, involving the chemical reduction of platinum and ruthenium complexes using sodium borohydride. These materials are investigated as methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) catalysts for fuel cell applications and were found to display exemplary MOR activity and CO tolerance through cyclic voltammetry (CV) testing. Pt–Ru-NWNs investigated in this work are proposed as promising anode replacements to traditional Pt–Ru catalysts in direct methanol fuel cells.

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► Pt–Ru nanowire networks fabricated by simplistic, soft template based approach.
► Effect of different synthesis conditions and precursor ratios investigated.
► Pt–Ru nanowire networks demonstrate significant methanol oxidation activity.
► Soft template nanostructure control is highly effective for catalyst development.