Ultrafine amorphous PtNiP nanoparticles supported on carbon as efficiency electrocatalyst for oxygen reduction reaction

Design of amorphous noble metallic nanoparticle electrocatalysts is an important fundamental and applied research challenge. Here, we describe new findings of a detailed investigation of the amorphous platinum nickel phosphorus nanoparticles supported on carbon (PtNiPa/C), which were characterized using X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, selected area electron diffraction. Compared to the crystal platinum nickel phosphorus nanoparticles supported on carbon (PtNiPc/C) and PtNi/C, PtNiPa/C catalyst has more positive half-wave potential and higher mass activity for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). In addition, the ORR on PtNiPa/C electrode follows the 4 electron reaction pathway. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.