Synthesis of Pt-CuO/RuO2 composites by dealloying from metallic glass and their ethanol electrooxidation performance

Abstract

Synthesis of the noble metal-based catalyst with a multi-composite system, unique structure, and special morphology is very important for boosting the catalytic performance while reducing the noble metal use. Here, attractive island/nanosheet structural Pt-CuO/RuO2 composites were constructed on the surface of Cu-Al-Ce-based metallic glass ribbons containing a small amount of Pt and Ru by dealloying. The surface morphology of these binder-free, self-supported flexible hybrid electrocatalysts can be facilely regulated in a controllable way. Electrochemical measurements revealed the islands-nanosheets/glassy hybrid electrocatalysts obtained from Cu60Al10Ce26Pt3Ru1 MG ribbon exhibit superior electrocatalytic performance toward ethanol oxidation with a high current density of ∼215 mA⋅cm−2 and better stability, outperforming commercial Pt/C and other dealloyed products. This can be attributed to the enlarged surface area, the abundant Pt-rich active sites, and the synergistic effects of Pt, Ru/RuO2, and CuO in the removal of poisoning intermediates. This work provides a new perspective for the design of high-active binder-free composite catalysts based on multicomponent metallic glass with low noble metal usage.