Synthesis and Structure of PtPdCuNiCo Nanoparticles on a Carbon Support as Electrocatalysts for Low-Temperature Fuel Cells

The aim of this work was the two-stage wet synthesis of highly efficient PtPdCuNiCo/C catalysts for low-temperature fuel cells. The synthesis was based on a metal oxide-carbon support and used either ethylene glycol or formaldehyde in the second stage. In combination with HRTEM, element mapping, XRD, and XPS data, these results confirm the successful synthesis of five-component PtPdCuNiCo nanoparticles on the surface of the carbon support, achieved using both formaldehyde and ethylene glycol during the second synthesis stage. The obtained materials are characterized by a high surface area of up to 57 m2/g(PGM) and a high specific oxygen reduction reaction activity of approximately 300 A/g(PGM) at 0.9 V vs RHE when ethylene glycol was used in the second synthesis stage. The proposed synthetic strategy opens a new pathway for obtaining promising five-component nanoparticles of various compositions for application in catalysis.