Growth Modulation of High-Entropy Alloys for Electrocatalytic Methanol Oxidation Reaction

High-entropy alloy (HEA) electrocatalysts have exhibited remarkable catalytic performance because of their synergistic interactions among multiple metals. However, the growth mechanism of HEAs remains elusive, primarily due to the constraints imposed by the current synthesis methodologies for HEAs. In this work, an innovative electrodeposition method was developed to fabricate Pt-based nanocomposites (Pt1Bi2Co1Cu1Ni1/CC), comprising HEA nanosheets and carbon cloths (CCs). The reaction system could be effectively monitored by taking samples out from the system during the reaction process, facilitating in-depth insight into the growth mechanism underlying the material formation. In particular, Pt1Bi2Co1Cu1Ni1/CC nanocomposites show superior methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) performance (mass activity up to 5.02 A mg(Pt)(-1)). Upon structural analysis, the d-band center of Pt1Bi2Co1Cu1Ni1/CC is lower in comparison with that of Pt1Bi2/CC and Pt/CC, demonstrating the formation of a rich-electron structure. Both the uniformity of HEAs and the carbon-supported effect could provide additional active sites. These findings suggest that the strong electronic interaction within HEAs and additional active sites can effectively modulate the catalytic structure of Pt, which benefits the enhanced CO tolerance and MOR performance.