The Effect of Surface Site Ensembles on the Activity and Selectivity of Ethanol Electrooxidation by Octahedral PtNiRh Nanoparticles

Abstract

Abstract Direct ethanol fuel cells are attractive power sources based on a biorenewable, high energy‐density fuel. Their efficiency is limited by the lack of active anode materials which catalyze the breaking of the C−C bond coupled to the 12‐electron oxidation to CO 2 . We report shape‐controlled PtNiRh octahedral ethanol oxidation electrocatalysts with excellent activity and previously unachieved low onset potentials as low as 0.1 V vs. RHE, while being highly selective to complete oxidation to CO 2 . Our comprehensive characterization and in situ electrochemical ATR studies suggest that the formation of a ternary surface site ensemble around the octahedral Pt 3 Ni 1 Rh x nanoparticles plays a crucial mechanistic role for this behavior.