Direct access to aggregation-free and small intermetallic nanoparticles in ordered, large-pore mesoporous carbon for an electrocatalyst

Abstract

An intermetallic catalyst with ordered atomic arrays has a higher electrocatalytic activity than alloy, but the high temperature required for the formation makes the particles large, resulting in low mass activity. We report the simple synthesis of small Pt-based intermetallic nanoparticles on a carbon-based ordered mesoporous support by combining block copolymer-assisted evaporation-induced self-assembly and strong metal-support interaction (SMSI). Aluminosilicate in the mesostructured wall is an SMSI agent and charge transfer from Pt to the aluminosilicate suppresses the sintering of intermetallic nanoparticles. Intermetallic PtPb and Pt3Co on carbon-based mesoporous supports are synthesized, and their particle sizes are below 5 nm even at high loading. The PtPb catalyst shows 15 times higher mass activity for formic acid oxidation than Pt/C, and the Pt3Co catalyst shows 3.25 times higher mass activity for oxygen reduction than Pt/C. This procedure can be extended to synthesize various heterogenous catalysts that require high temperature for synthesis or to operate.