Fuel cells are promising power sources in vehicles and portable electronic devices due to their environmentally friendly properties and high energy conversion efficiency. In the proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs), the main issues are the slow oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), and the vulnerability toward reaction poisons of Pt electrocatalyst.1,2 ORR on Pt nanoparticles have been extensively studied,  but in most of these studies, the particle shape is not well control because of the difficulty in shape control synthesis. In contrast, gold nanocrystals with low-index facets of {111}, {110}, and {100} respectively, have been synthesized.3 By epitaxially depositing Pt thin films on these Au nanocrystals, the effects of particle structure can be systematically studied.In this presentation, it will be demonstrated that Au nanocubes, nanooctahedra, and nanorombic dodecahedra with a controlled size from 50 nm to 100 nm in size have been successfully synthesized by using a seed-mediated growth method. High resolution TEM and electron diffraction results confirm the gold nanocrytals are enclosed with different low-index facets {100}, {111}, and {110} respectively. By using a redox replacement method, Pt monolayers are deposited on these Au nanocrytals. The catalytic activity of these Pt coated nanoparticles towards ORR will be discussed and compared with that of pure platinum nanoparticles.1.Vielstich, W.; Lamm, A.; Gasteiger, H. A., Wiley: New York. 2003 .2.Gasteiger, H. A.; Kocha, S. S.; Sompalli, B.; Wagner, F. T., Appl. Catal. B-Environ. 2005,  56 (1-2), 9-35.3.Niu, W.; Zheng, S.; Xu, G J. AM. CHEM. SOC. 2009 , 131, 697�703

Oxygen reduction reaction on Pt thin films deposited on Au nanocrystals

246th National Meeting (2013)

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