Synthesis of ternary PtPdCu spheres with three-dimensional nanoporous architectures toward superior electrocatalysts

Abstract

We report a simple method for the preparation of ternary PtPdCu spheres with a three-dimensional (3D) nanoporous structure in a solution phase. The structure, composition, and electronic states of the obtained material are characterized and studied by various physical techniques. By varying the amount of Cu precursor involved in the reaction, the composition of the spheres can be adjusted without affecting the morphology. Due to the nanoporous structure and the multimetallic synergetic effect, our ternary nanoporous PtPdCu spheres exhibited 1.7, 2.8, and 4.9 times higher activity than that of binary nanoporous PtPd spheres, dendritic Pt, and commercial Pt black catalysts, respectively.