Evolution of PtCu tripod nanocrystals to dendritic triangular nanocrystals and study of the electrochemical performance to alcohol electrooxidation.

In the field of catalysis, the design and construction of nanomaterials is an efficient way to optimize the catalytic activity of catalysts. This study presents the synthesis of PtCu tripod nanocrystals with branching structures and high purity prepared using a simple hydrothermal method. The dendritic PtCu triangular nanocrystals were successfully synthesized by regulating the amount of I ions to achieve different degrees of branching on PtCu nanocrystals, and the process was systematically studied and analyzed. Meanwhile, dumbbell nanocrystals of PtCu were successfully synthesized through slight adjustments to synthesis conditions. In electrochemical tests, the obtained dendritic PtCu triangular nanocrystals exhibited prominent electrocatalytic activity and long-term stability for ethylene glycol, methanol, and ethanol oxidation reactions due to the unique nanostructures as well as alloyed virtue, and were much better than commercial Pt/C. In addition, this study provides a general strategy for designing novel branched Pt-based nanomaterials with high electrocatalytic performance.