Enhanced Oxygen Reduction Reaction by Pd-Pt Alloy Catalyst with Stabilized Platinum Skin

Reducing the consumption of precious Platinum (Pt) metal by alloying with other transition metals or searching a new low cost, Pt-free catalyst with the activity and durability higher than the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst are the two possible approaches to accelerate the practical application of low temperature fuel cells. Herein we investigate the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalytic activity (1023 mu A cm(-2).(Pt); 5 times higher than commercial Pt/C) and the corrosion stability of novel "Pt skin@PdPt" nanostructures in acidic media. An interesting trend of increment in the ORR activity with durability cycles has been found indicating a systematic surface rearrangement in "Pt skin@PdPt". A systematic enhancement in the ORR activity from an initial value of 1023 mu A cm(-2).(Pt) to 1448 mu A cm(-2).(Pt) after 30,000 durability cycles has been observed indicating stable nature of low Pt content Pt skin@PdPt electrocatalyst. More than seven times (1448 mu A cm(-2).(Pt)) higher activity against the state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst has been seen with an electrochemical surface area (ECSA) of similar to 97 m(2) g(-1).(Pt), even after 30,000 potential cycles.