Rhombic dodecahedron nanoframes of PtIrCu with high-index faceted hyperbranched nanodendrites for efficient electrochemical ammonia oxidation via preferred NH dimerization pathways.

Ammonia has been emerging as a sustainable and environmentally friendly fuel. However, direct electrochemical ammonia oxidation reaction (AOR) in low-temperature fuel cells seriously suffers from high overpotential and deficient durability. Herein, rhombic dodecahedron nanoframe of platinum iridium copper (PtIrCu) with high-index faceted hyperbranched nanodendrites (RDNF-HNDs) was developed using a one-step self-etching solvothermal method. The framework structure with the high-index facets enables the PtIrCu nanocrystals to expose more effective active sites. They exhibit an ultra-low onset potential of 0.33 V vs. RHE and high mass activity of 26.1 A g at 0.50 V, which is 140 mV lower and 7.5 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C in the AOR. In situ attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared (ATR-FTIR) spectroscopy verifies that AOR on PtIrCu RDNF-HNDs prefers to the NH dimerization pathways, effectively alleviating the poison of N and NO. The theoretical calculation also shows that both introducing Cu atoms into PtIr alloy and increasing the content of Ir in PtIrCu alloy can reduce the reaction energy barrier of electrochemical dehydrogenation from *NH to *NH. The specific structure of PtIrCu RDNF-NDs provides a new inspiration to solve the critical issue of electrocatalysts for AOR with low activity and durability.