One important area of the emerging applications of nanoscale materials is the development of functional nanocatalysts for green energy production, conversion, and storage. A key challenge in developing nanoscale catalysts for fuel cells is the high in cost and propensity of degradation over time. The advancement of nanocatalysts depends heavily on the ability to impart the nanoparticles with multifunctional properties. We aim to address this challenge by developing nanoalloy particles, which are of interest because their structural and chemical properties can be tuned for the targeted energy applications. Palladium and platinum have the best electrocatalytic properties but they are scarce and expensive so by alloying them with more earth abundant transition metals, nickel, copper, etc., the cost of production can be lowered therefore making it more suitable to practical applications. The major challenge for achieving the desired functionality is the ability to synthesize the nanoparticles with controlled size, shape, composition, and surface properties. This presentation will discuss some of the recent findings in our investigation of the synthesis and characterization of ternary PtNiCo nanoparticles. Our results show that our synthesis procedure produces nanoparticles of well-controlled shape, size as well as alloy properties. These nanoparticles have also shown to exhibit better catalytic properties than platinum nanoparticles or binary alloy nanoparticles for oxygen reduction reaction and alcohol oxidation reactions.

Multimetallic alloy nanocatalysts for energy production, conversion, and storage

251st National Meeting (2016)

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