Efficient MethanolOxidation Catalysis by PtNi Nanowireswith Controllable Element Distribution

Pt-based alloys with precisely controllable element distribution are highly sought after in catalysis. This study focuses on optimizing elemental distribution and alloying in PtNi alloy nanowires (NWs) through high-temperature heat treatment. The resulting PtNi alloy NWs with uniform elemental distribution (U-PtNi NWs) demonstrate exceptional stability, attributed to facilitated electron transfer and a denser Pt shell, in stark contrast to untreated NWs that suffer from elemental segregation and subsequent performance degradation during electrochemical testing. In methanol oxidation reaction tests, U-PtNi NWs demonstrated exceptional mass activity (1562.0 mA mg^–1) and specific activity (5.38 mA cm^–2), with minimal activity loss after 1000 cycles. This work emphasizes the significance of precise component control in developing high-performance catalysts and presents a strategy to enhance fuel cell performance through one-dimensional nanocomponent adjustment.