Controlling core/shell Au/FePt nanoparticle electrocatalysis via changing the core size and shell thickness

Abstract

Using a modified seed-mediated method, we synthesized core/shell Au/FePt nanoparticles (NPs) with Au sizes of 4, 7, and 9 nm and the FePt shell was controlled to have similar FePt compositions and 0.5, 1, and 2 nm thickness. We studied both core and shell effects on electrochemical and electrocatalytic properties of the Au/FePt NPs, and found that the Au core did change the redox chemistry of the FePt shell and promoted its electrochemical oxidation of methanol. The catalytic activity was dependent on the FePt thicknesses, but not much on the Au core sizes, and the 1 nm FePt shell was found to be the optimal thickness for catalyzing methanol oxidation in 0.1 M HClO₄ + 0.1 M methanol, offering not only high activity (1.19 mA cm⁻² at 0.5 V vs. Ag/AgCl), but also enhanced stability. Our studies demonstrate a general approach to the design and tuning of shell catalysis in the core/shell structure to achieve optimal catalysis for important electrochemical reactions.