Enhanced catalytic performance of Pt by coupling with carbon defects

Abstract

Defect engineering is a promising strategy for supported catalysts to improve the catalytic activity and durability. Here, we selected the carbon (C) matrix enriched with topological defects to serve as the substrate material, in which the topological defects can act as anchoring centers to trap Pt nanoparticles for driving the O2 reduction reactions (ORRs). Both experimental characterizations and theoretical simulations revealed the strong Pt-defect interaction with enhanced charge transfer on the interface. Despite a low Pt loading, the supported catalyst can still achieve a remarkable 55 mV positive shift of half-wave potential toward ORR in O2-saturated 0.1 M HClO4 electrolyte compared with the commercial Pt catalyst on graphitized C. Moreover, the degeneration after 5,000 voltage cycles was negligible. This finding indicates that the presence of strong interaction between Pt and topological C defects can not only stabilize Pt nanoparticles but also optimize the electronic structures of Pt/C catalysts toward ORR.