Relationship between synthesis conditions and ORR activity of PtCo nanowire/C catalysts for PEFC cathodes

Nanowire (NW) structures have attracted attention as durable catalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) due to their resistance to aggregation, unique morphology, and efficient electron conduction. However, NWs often suffer from limited structural stability, and there is a lack of research on their performance in membrane electrode assembly (MEA) studies. In this study, PtCo NW/C catalysts with various amounts of oleylamine (OAm) were prepared, and their oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and durability were investigated by MEA and RDE testing conditions. XRD analysis and TEM observations showed that the prepared PtCo NWs were successfully alloyed,and PtCo NW alloys were observed. CV and LSV results showed that the PtCo NW/C OAm100 catalyst with 2 h of acid treatment had the best ORR activity. The I-V test results demonstrated that the PtCo NW/C OAm100 catalyst with 2 h of acid treatment had higher cell voltage, and cell performance was also excellent. It was found that the ORR activity of PtCo NW was improved by adding the appropriate amount of OAm.