Synthesis of Pd-Pt bimetallic nanocrystals with a concave structure through a bromide-induced galvanic replacement reaction

J Am Chem Soc. 2011 Apr 20;133(15):6078-89. doi: 10.1021/ja201156s. Epub 2011 Mar 25.

Abstract

This article describes a systematic study of the galvanic replacement reaction between PtCl(6)(2-) ions and Pd nanocrystals with different shapes, including cubes, cuboctahedrons, and octahedrons. It was found that Br(-) ions played an important role in initiating, facilitating, and directing the replacement reaction. The presence of Br(-) ions led to the selective initiation of galvanic replacement from the {100} facets of Pd nanocrystals, likely due to the preferential adsorption of Br(-) ions on this crystallographic plane. The site-selective galvanic replacement resulted in the formation of Pd-Pt bimetallic nanocrystals with a concave structure owing to simultaneous dissolution of Pd atoms from the {100} facets and deposition of the resultant Pt atoms on the {111} facets. The Pd-Pt concave nanocubes with different weight percentages of Pt at 3.4, 10.4, 19.9, and 34.4 were also evaluated as electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). Significantly, the sample with a 3.4 wt.% of Pt exhibited the largest specific electrochemical surface area and was found to be four times as active as the commercial Pt/C catalyst for the ORR in terms of equivalent Pt mass.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
  • Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

  • Bromides / chemistry*
  • Catalysis
  • Electrochemical Techniques
  • Nanoparticles / chemistry*
  • Nanoparticles / ultrastructure*
  • Nanotechnology
  • Palladium / chemistry*
  • Platinum / chemistry*

Substances

  • Bromides
  • Platinum
  • Palladium