Composition-tunable Pt-Co alloy nanoparticle networks: facile room-temperature synthesis and supportless electrocatalytic applications

Pt-Co alloy nanoparticle networks (NNs) with adjustable composition are synthesized by co-reduction of H(2) PtCl(6) and CoCl(2) with NaBH(4) in an ethylene glycol assisted cetyltrimethylammonium bromide/water/chloroform system at room temperature. Electrochemical measurements indicate that the as-prepared spongelike Pt-Co NNs exhibit composition-dependent electrocatalytic activities and CO tolerance with better durability toward methanol and formic acid oxidation than commercially available Pt/C catalyst. In particular, Pt(3) Co NNs show the highest specific activity, while Pt(2) Co NNs exhibit optimal mass activity among Pt-Co alloy NNs with different composition. These Pt-Co alloy NNs may be promising supportless anode catalysts for the direct methanol and direct formic acid fuel cells.