Structural Regulation of Advanced Platinum-Based Core-Shell Catalysts for Fuel Cell Electrocatalysis

Platinum (Pt), a precious metal extracted from minerals, plays an important role as a catalyst in energy conversion and storage devices. However, Pt is expensive and a limited resource, so it is crucial to maximize its utilization. In the electrocatalytic process, the improvement of its utilization is contingent on enhancing its mass and specific activities, a goal that can be significantly realized through the deposition of a Pt-based shell layer on a nanosubstrate material, thereby producing a core-shell structure. This review gives an important overview on the characteristics of Pt-based core-shell catalysts, the structural regulation of the core-shell, and its effects on the electrocatalytic performance. The core-shell structure can significantly increase the ratio of surface Pt atoms per unit mass of Pt particles. Moreover, the lattice mismatch between the core material and the platinum shell can generate strain, which can modulate the magnitude of the adsorption-desorption force of the platinum-based shell layer on the active intermediates, and thus contribute to the modulation of the catalytic performance. In addition to the aforementioned characteristics, the electrocatalytic performance of Pt-based core-shell catalysts is significantly influenced by the core and shell structures. The core-shell structures have unique advantages over other types of catalysts, leading to the development of advanced Pt-based catalysts.