Designing of stable and highly efficient ordered Pt2CoNi ternary alloy electrocatalyst: The origin of dioxygen reduction activity

We have synthesized ordered Pt2CoNi ternary alloy nanoparticles for Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) through a molten salt synthesis (MSS) route for the first time, which gives an ideal condition for the growth of chemically ordered alloy nanoparticles through the pores of carbon support. Interestingly, electrocatalytic ORR activity of Pt2CoNi nano electrocatalyst is 5-6 times higher than commercial Pt/C catalyst with fascinating stability behavior has been observed in acidic media. More impressively, 22-fold enhancement in the specific activity of Pt2NiCo/C after 25k cycles has been observed at 1.0 V vs RHE. DFT studies predict a higher onset potential if OOH(s) intermediate is the potential determining step. Further, new descriptors are proposed to explain the origin of exceptional catalytic activity of ternary metal nanocatalyst for the first time.180