Breakthrough in Nanotechnology: Tuning Strain for Enhanced Catalyst Performance

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Researchers at the East China University of Science and Technology have developed a new approach to fabricating platinum-cobalt-zinc (PtCoZn) trimetallic catalysts with adjustable platinum (Pt) strain, leading to exceptional catalytic performance for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR). This breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the field of nanotechnology and heterogeneous catalysis. By increasing the contents of Co and Zn, the researchers were able to induce compressive strain in Pt, resulting in improved catalytic activity and durability.

Key Takeaways:

  • The one-pot synthesis approach for fabricating PtCoZn trimetallic catalysts enables exceptional catalytic performance for the ORR, comparable to that of state-of-the-art Pt-based alloy catalysts.
  • The addition of Zn and Co induces compressive strain in Pt, which weakens the binding strength of oxygen intermediates and enhances ORR activity.
  • The compressive strain in Pt is primarily induced by the incorporation of Zn, while Co doping suppresses Zn leaching and improves the stability of PtCoZn by anchoring Zn atoms within the inner layers of the alloy particles.
  • The PtCoZn catalyst with a lattice spacing of 2.23 Å exhibits the optimum performance, achieving a mass activity (MA) of 3.25 A/mg and a specific activity (SA) of 7.57 mA/cm, which are 4.3 times and 7 times higher than those of the commercial Pt/C catalyst, respectively.
  • The catalyst demonstrates robust electrochemical durability with negligible activity degradation after 50,000 cycles.
  • The catalytic mechanism is elucidated through in situ electrochemical reflection Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR) and density functional theory (DFT) calculations.
  • This research sheds new light on developing catalysts through strain engineering in multimetallic systems.

Statistics:

  • 4.3 times higher mass activity (MA) compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst.
  • 7 times higher specific activity (SA) compared to the commercial Pt/C catalyst.
  • 50,000 cycles of electrochemical durability without significant activity degradation.
  • 2.23 Å lattice spacing for the PtCoZn catalyst with optimal performance.
  • 3.25 A/mg mass activity (MA) for the PtCoZn catalyst.
  • 7.57 mA/cm specific activity (SA) for the PtCoZn catalyst.

Sources:

  • Tuning strain of Platinum-Cobalt-Zinc trimetallic nanoparticles for efficient oxygen reduction Catalysis. Journal of Colloid and Interface Science, 2025;698:138046.
  • East China University of Science and Technology. Reports Findings in Nanoparticles (Tuning strain of Platinum-Cobalt-Zinc trimetallic nanoparticles for efficient oxygen reduction Catalysis). Nanotechnology Weekly. June 16, 2025; p 773.
  • Academic Press Inc Elsevier Science. 525 B St, Ste 1900, San Diego, CA 92101-4495, USA.
  • Yingying Cai, School of Chemical Engineering, East China University of Science and Technology, Shanghai 200237, People's Republic of China.