Replacing expensive platinum as catalyst remains a tremendous obstacle for large-scale application of fuel-cell technology. In addition to high cost, pure Pt is neither the most active nor the most stable catalyst for fuel cell reactions. Specifically, the instability of Pt at the cathode side represents one of the major limitations for commercialization of this technology. Here, we report a novel multimetallic catalyst based on core/shell Au/FePt3 nanoparticles with advanced properties for the oxygen reduction reaction.
Au/FePt3 nanoparticles possess not only the high ORR catalytic activity of bimetallic alloys (Fe, Co, and Ni – Pt), but they also exhibit a superior performance in stability. This work reveals enormous potential in the utilization of ternary catalysts, in which the addition of the third component would serve as supplementary tool in tailoring catalytic properties.