Synthesis of Ti0.7Mo0.3O2 supported-Pt nanodendrites and their catalytic activity and stability for oxygen reduction reaction

•A simple protocol for the synthesis of dendritic Pt on Ti0.7Mo0.3O2 was presented.•The formation of Pt nanodendrites was performed in a mild condition suitable for scale-up.•The formed nanostructural clusters have enhanced activity and stability for ORR.•The electron transfer between the oxide and Pt further helps the electrocatalysis.•The synthesis concept can be extended to other oxide-supported catalysts.

Nanostructural clusters (NCs) of dendritic Pt on Ti0.7Mo0.3O2 nanosupports (Ptd/Ti0.7Mo0.3O2-NCs) were synthesized by a simple aqueous-phase route. PtCl62−-ions were reduced and formed nuclei under the effect of l-ascorbic acid and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). There followed controlled deposition and growth of Pt nanoparticles with high-index facets of Pt. In the synthesis, the clustering of the Pt particles could be driven by their high surface energy due to a large surface area-to-volume ratio. 20 wt% dendritic Pt/Ti0.7Mo0.3O2-NCs and support-free Pt nanodendrite catalysts were prepared and compared against commercial 20 wt% Pt/C (E-TEK) for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). TEM, XRD, X-ray absorption near edge structure (XANES), and electrochemical techniques were applied to characterize these catalysts. Effects of high index facets on dendritic Pt surface, electron transfer originating from strong metal–support interactions (SMSI) and corrosion-resistant Ti0.7Mo0.3O2 nanosupport contribute to the enhanced catalytic activity and stability of Pt/Ti0.7Mo0.3O2-NCs toward the ORR. The concept of the Ptd/Ti0.7Mo0.3O2-NCs combining advantages of SMSI and Pt nanodendrites provides a new approach to design novel nanocatalysts for various reaction systems.

Graphical abstractFigure optionsDownload full-size imageDownload as PowerPoint slide