Seed-Assisted in Situ Encapsulation of Ultrasmall Ni–Co Nanoclusters within ZSM-5 Zeolite for Enhanced Alkaline Ethanol Electro-Oxidation Reaction

Zeolites are considered an ideal support for the confinement synthesis of metal species. However, a significant obstacle still exists in the effective encapsulation of nanometric metal species within the ZSM-5 zeolite. In this contribution, we provide a simple strategy for preparing ultrasmall Ni–Co bimetallic nanoclusters within ZSM-5 zeolite utilizing a seed-assisted in situ two-step hydrothermal route. Ultrasmall Ni–Co nanoparticles with an average size of ∼1.23 nm have been identified by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The ethanol electro-oxidation experiments with different techniques reveal a current density of 9.98 mA cm –2 with a remarkable cyclic stability of 80.5% even after 1000 cycles in 0.1 M NaOH and 1 M EtOH. In addition, compared with the other two catalysts synthesized via a one-step and wet impregnation method, Ni–Co within ZSM-5/AC (AC: activated carbon) zeolite cavities synthesized by a two-step method exhibits better antitoxicity and a low reaction barrier. The remarkable catalytic activity and stability of these bimetallic clusters encapsulated within zeolites open opportunities for their practical applications in high-performance energy conversion devices.