A Highly Stable PtPd Alloy Supported on CeO₂-Functionalized Carbon Nanotubes for Methanol Oxidation

Methanol has gained prominence as a carbon-neutral energy vector due to its remarkable energy density and versatile electrochemical conversion capabilities. Nevertheless, the practical implementation of methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) technologies faces a critical bottleneck in developing durable precious-metal-based catalysts that maintain structural integrity under operational conditions. Herein, we engineer a heterostructured electrocatalyst through precise surface composition tuning of Pt–Pd alloys coupled with CeO2 functionalization, establishing an optimized synergy between compositional engineering and support interactions. The strategically designed Pt–Pd bimetallic nanoparticles, homogeneously dispersed on a CeO2-decorated carbon nanotube, demonstrate exceptional alkaline methanol oxidation performance with a record mass activity of 5600.0 mA·mgmetal–1 accompanied by outstanding operational stability (1810.2 mA·mgmetal–1 retention after 7200 s). Multidisciplinary characterization reveals that the synergistic effects at the PtPd/CeO2–CNT interfaces facilitate optimized CH3OH adsorption and preferentially activate the CO-tolerant reaction pathway. This work establishes a generalizable paradigm for developing poisoning-resistant alloy catalysts through rational interfacial engineering in hybrid support systems, paving the way for practical methanol fuel cell applications.