TePtFe Nanotubes as High‐Performing Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction and Hydrogen Evolution Reaction

Abstract

Currently, a multicomponent platinum-based alloy has been applied as a promising electrocatalyst to improve catalysis and lower the usage of the noble metal platinum. Herein, a tellurium nanowire (NW)-derived ternary TePtFe nanotube (NT) electrocatalyst has been prepared by the Kirkendall effect. The TePtFe NT formed consists of small single-crystal nanoparticles and voids with an open-end and hollow structure. The TePtFe NT electrocatalyst presents an impressive catalytic activity and stability for both the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Its ORR specific activity and mass activity are 8.5 and 2.4 times, respectively, improved relative to those of commercial platinum catalysts. It is also impressive that, for the HER, a very low overpotential of 28.1 mV at 10 mA cm can be achieved; this is lower than that of platinum (51.8 mV) catalysts in 0.1 m HClO , and the activity is improved, even after 5000 cycles. This work reveals that TePtFe NTs can be employed as nanocatalysts with an impressive catalytic activity and stability for application in fuel cells and hydrogen production.

Recent Advances on Controlled Synthesis and Engineering of Hollow Alloyed Nanotubes for Electrocatalysis

“…Therefore, it will be popular to use large‐scale synthesized and highly active metal nanowires as templates for galvanic replacement reaction directly. For synthesis of hollow nanotubes, the most frequently used templates are Pd, Te, Cu, and Ag nanowires . When the highly active templates were oxidatively dissolved completely (the molar quantities of precursors usually exceeded the corresponding stoichiometric ratio compared to the templates), the final products were composed of the metal precursors.…”

“…Based on the discussed structural advantage in the introduction section, a large variety of fine structures involving double wall, porous wall, ultrathin size, intermetallic properties, 3D network, and nanoparticles as building blocks along the 1D direction of the nanotubes were designed and synthesized to form new functional architectures. New features arise naturally during the formation of new fine structures, including a higher surface area, a confined reactant concentration space, structural stability and a coarser surface.…”

Nanowire Genome: A Magic Toolbox for 1D Nanostructures

“…The porous structure of PtCu NWs might have resulted from the large difference between the standard reduction potentials of PtCl 6 2− /Pt and Cu 2+ /Cu, which might have led to a large difference in reduction kinetics. Similarly, ternary TePtFe NTs composed of small single‐crystal NPs and voids were formed via a one‐pot galvanic replacement reaction (Figure (8)), and the unique architecture could enhance the electrocatalytic active sites, mass transfer, and stability of Pt‐based catalysts . When adding three types of metal ions, ternary alloy noble metal NWs can be formed, such as AuPtPd NWs (Figure (9)) .…”

Anion-Modulated Platinum for High-Performance Multifunctional Electrocatalysis toward HER, HOR, and ORR

“…Owing to the optimized structure and electronic effects caused by M (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Cr, Ti, V, Pb, Mn, etc. ), the PtM alloys present significant potentials in improving the electrochemical activity for a series of catalytic reactions (such as HER, ORR, methanol/ethanol oxidation reaction [MOR or EOR]) ( Huang et al., 2017 ; Bu et al., 2017 ; Li et al., 2018 ; Cui et al., 2014 ; Ma et al., 2020a , 2020b ; Wang et al., 2017 ; Ma et al., 2020a , 2020b ; Fan et al., 2016 ). Nevertheless, the M in the PtM-based nanoparticles (NPs) is inclined to dissolve during the highly oxidizing and/or acidic environment, which is inevitable to degrade proton exchange membranes in fuel cells or to deteriorate the electrolyte solutions in water splitting during the practical application ( Wang et al., 2011 ; Wang et al., 2015 ; Wang et al., 2018a , 2018b ; Dubau et al., 2011 ).…”