Effect of the type of Pt precursor on Pt-Ni nanostructures for electro-oxidation of ammonia

The properties of Pt-Ni nanostructures were successfully controlled by employing different Pt precursors in the preparation of Pt-Ni nanocomposites, which were synthesized by a co-reducing Pt and Ni precursors. Pt-Ni nanostructures were obtained by leaching Ni species from the Pt-Ni nanocomposite. The use of H2PtCl6 as a precursor yielded aggregated small Pt particles, while [Pt(NH3)(4)]Cl-2 yielded large hollow Pt nanostructures. A possible mechanism leading to the morphological difference between the two structures was suggested. Owing to a higher electrochemically active surface area and a favorable surface structure, hollow Pt nanostructures from the [Pt(NH3)(4)]Cl-2 precursor showed significantly better performance in ammonia oxidation than the aggregated Pt particles resulting from the H2PtCl6 precursor. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.