Nanoengineering 2D Dendritic PdAgPt Nanoalloys with Edge-Enriched Active Sites for Enhanced Alcohol Electroxidation and Electrocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

Lots of research studies reveal that the surface atoms on the top/bottom facets of the nanosheets are the key features in enhancing electrocatalytic activity while the edge and corner sites of electrocatalysts often possess superior activity. Herein, we report 2D dendritic PdAgPt ternary nanoalloys with abundant crystal defects such as steps, twin boundary, and atomic holes, which can effectively work as catalytic active-sites. The morphology of PdAgPt nanoalloys can be regulated readily from dendritic nanosheets to nanowheels. Compared with binary Pd68Ag32 nanodendrites, Pd62Pt38 nanospheres, and Pt/C catalyst, the composition- and morphology-optimized Pd43Ag21Pt36 nanowheels exhibit the best mass/specific activity and stability for methanol/ethanol oxidation reaction (MOR/EOR). The mass peak current density for EOR/MOR of Pd43Ag21Pt36 is 7.08/3.50 times of the Pt/C catalyst. Simultaneously, the hydrogen evolution reaction performance of the Pd43Ag21Pt36 nanowheels in terms of the lowest overpotential of 9 mv at a current density of 10 mA/cm2 and high electrochemical stability is much better than that of binary Pd68Ag32 nanodendrites, Pd62Pt38 nanospheres, and Pt/C.