Two-Step Fabrication of PtCo Nanodendrites for Superior Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Ethylene Glycol and Glycerol in an Alkaline Electrolyte

Abstract

Three-dimensional (3D) nanodendrites (NDs) have garnered significant attention for electrocatalytic oxidation due to their high surface area and abundant active sites. However, the controllable synthesis of these structures remains a challenge. Furthermore, the electrocatalytic oxidation of complex polyols, such as ethylene glycol and glycerol, is still inadequately explored in fuel cell applications. In this study, we present a controllable strategy for the stepwise synthesis of PtM (M = Co, Ni, Fe) NDs. The alloying of oxophilic metals with Pt not only reduces the amount of Pt required but also enhances catalytic performance through synergistic effects. Among them, PtCo NDs demonstrates remarkable mass activities of 10120 and 8051 mA mgPt–1 for ethylene glycol and glycerol oxidation reactions (EGOR and GOR), respectively. The corresponding specific activities are 12 and 9 mA cm–2. Meanwhile, PtCo NDs maintains mass activities of 3141 and 1025 mA mgPt–1 after 4000 s of chronoamperometric (CA) testing, outperforming PtNi NDs, PtFe NDs, Pt NDs, and commercial Pt/C catalysts. This study offers a promising strategy for the controlled synthesis of Pt-based bimetallic nanocatalysts aimed at enhancing polyol electrocatalysis efficiency.