Remarkable catalytic activity of electrochemically dealloyed platinum-tellurium nanoparticles towards formic acid electro-oxidation

Aiming to improve the activity of Pt-based catalysts for formic acid electro-oxidation, dealloyed PtxTey/C catalysts were prepared via electrochemical leaching process. The dealloyed-Pt3Te/C catalyst presented superior activity and stability for formic acid electro-oxidation. The mass activities of dealloyed-Pt3Te/C at 0.25 V and 0.4 V vs. SCE were about 10.6 and 16.5 times as high as that of commercial Pt/C, respectively. It is found that the FAEO on D-Pt3Te/C is mainly through dehydrogenation pathway. The weak CO adsorption, increased electrochemical specific area and ensemble effect are suggested as reasons for the remarkable enhancement.