Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Small Organic Molecules on Platinum-Gold Nanowires: Influence of the Surface Structure and Pt-Pt/Pt-Au Pair Site Density.

The electrochemical oxidation of small organic molecules (SOMs) such as methanol and glucose is a critical process and has relevant applications in fuel cells and sensors. A key challenge in SOM oxidation is the poisoning of the surface by carbon monoxide (CO) and other partially oxidized intermediates, which is attributed to the presence of Pt-Pt pair sites. A promising pathway for overcoming this challenge is to develop catalysts that selectively oxidize SOMs via "direct" pathways that do not form CO as a primary intermediate.