Smart design of hollow AuPt nanospheres with a porous shell as superior electrocatalysts for ethylene glycol oxidation

Abstract

Hollow bimetallic electrocatalysts have recently stimulated increasing attention due to their accessible interior surface and bimetallic synergetic effect. Herein, for the first time, we successfully anchor a porous AuPt shell on modified silica spheres with the assistance of Pluronic F127. The whole process consists of simple ultrasonic mixing for 30 min at room temperature without any organic solvent. After metal deposition and silica etching, well-defined hollow structures are obtained in high yield. The hollow spheres are further characterized by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. The electrochemical analysis reveals that the as-prepared samples demonstrate superior electrocatalytic activity and durability relative to the commercial Pt/C catalyst, showcasing the potential of these AuPt hollow spheres as electrocatalysts for ethylene glycol oxidation in an alkaline medium.