Template-free synthesis of chain-like PtCu nanowires and their superior performance for oxygen reduction and methanol oxidation reaction

Chain-like PtCu nanowires were successfully synthesized in the absence of any templates or surfactants by a facile chemical co-reaction approach. The resulting PtCu nanowires were characterized by transmission electron microscopy, scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and electrochemical techniques. Utilized as electrocatalysts, the PtCu nanowires exhibit superior catalytic activity toward both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) compared to commercially carbon-supported platinum (Pt/C-JM) catalyst, indicating their potential applications in fuel cell. In addition, the effect of the relative distribution of PtCu and PtCu3 alloy phases coexisting in PtCu nanowires catalysts on the ORR activity was also investigated.