Shell tailoring of core-shell nanoparticles for heterogeneous catalysis

In this study, platinum core-palladium shell nanoparticles have been synthesized by a chemical method with the shell thickness controlled to submonolayer precision. A single palladium monolayer has been prepared on platinum nanoparticles by chemically-driven underpotential deposition in a batch reactor with a redox buffer. The platinum core-palladium shell nanoparticles studied exhibit the highest electrocatalytic properties toward formic acid oxidation when the shell is only one monolayer thick, which underlines the need for precise control of the shell thickness for applications in heterogeneous catalysis. In this study we demonstrate that chemical methods allow for easy preparation of large quantities of core-shell nanoparticles in batch reactors, where the shell thickness can be tailored from 1 to 10 monoatomic layers.