CO Adsorption-Induced Deposition: A Facile and Precise Synthesis Route for Core–Shell Catalysts

Carbon monoxide (CO) is known for its detrimental effect on catalysts due to its strong adsorption on active sites, particularly in catalysis and electrocatalysis. However, our study reveals that CO can actually facilitate the synthesis of core-shell catalysts with precisely controlled structures. In this paper, we present a facile and precise method called CO adsorption-induced deposition (AID) for synthesizing M@Pt (M = Pd, Au, and Ir) core-shell catalysts. We successfully fabricated Pd@Ptn (<i>n</i> = 1, 2, and 3) samples with 1-3 platinum (Pt) shell layers. The findings supported by various analytical techniques indicate that the CO AID method plays a crucial role in reducing the Pt precursor and enabling the formation of a metallic Pt monolayer shell. This approach allows for further investigation into the relationship between Pt shell thickness and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance. Ultimately, our research offers insights and cost-effective methodology in the development of more efficient and durable ORR electrocatalysts for fuel cells, highlighting the simplicity of the process.