High performance of core–shell structured Ir@Pt/C catalyst prepared by a facile pulse electrochemical deposition

•Core–shell Ir@Pt/C catalyst is prepared by pulse electrochemical deposition method.•The catalyst exhibits ultra high Pt dispersion with shell thickness of ca. 1.0 nm.•The oxidation potential of CO on the catalyst is 108 mV lower than that of Pt/C.•The Pt mass activity of the catalyst towards MOR and ORR is enhanced by three times.

A novel core–shell structured catalyst, Ir@Pt/C, was prepared by a facile pulse electrochemical deposition approach, demonstrating several times higher mass activity towards both the anodic oxidation of methanol and the cathodic reduction of oxygen than commercial Pt/C catalyst. And the results of CO stripping revealed that the Ir@Pt/C catalyst exhibited greater ease of CO removal. The enhanced performance of the catalyst could be ascribed to the high dispersion of Pt, which led to the higher utilization of Pt, and the synergetic effect of Pt with Ir in the core–shell structure.

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