Electrocatalytic Nanoparticle Synthesis via Cathodic Corrosion

Electrocatalytic nanoparticle synthesis via cathodic corrosion exploits the controlled dissolution of bulk metal electrodes under strongly reducing potentials to generate metal nanoparticles with tailored sizes, shapes and compositions. At sufficiently negative potentials, surface atoms form anionic intermediates that detach from the electrode and re-aggregate into nanoscale clusters. The process is influenced by electrolyte composition, applied potential waveform and the presence of stabilising cations, which govern the onset potential for corrosion, the anisotropy of etching and the ultimate particle morphology. This top-down, surfactant-free route enables direct deposition of catalytically active nanoparticles on conductive supports and offers tunable control over crystallographic facets and alloy composition. The resulting materials have demonstrated enhanced performance in hydrogen evolution, oxygen reduction, carbon monoxide oxidation and other energy-relevant electrocatalytic reactions. Advances in mechanistic understanding and process engineering continue to expand the global applicability of this sustainable and scalable synthesis platform.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have elucidated the fundamental onset and anisotropy of cathodic corrosion on platinum electrodes. Detailed electrochemical characterisation established that surface degradation initiates at a well-defined negative potential, ruling out earlier mechanistic hypotheses. High-resolution imaging revealed the formation of faceted etch pits preferentially aligned along specific crystallographic planes, demonstrating a remarkable directional dependence in the corrosion process. These insights into cation-induced adsorption and surface charge effects are directly informing the rational design of voltage programmes and electrolyte formulations to control nanoparticle nucleation and growth.

Electrocatalytic Nanoparticle Synthesis via Cathodic Corrosion publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrocatalytic nanoparticle synthesis via cathodic corrosion across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Cathodic corrosion: Electrochemical removal of metal from an electrode surface under strongly reducing potentials, mediated by anionic metal intermediates.

Electrochemical erosion: The controlled dissolution of electrode material via applied potential, leading to nanoparticle formation.

Under-coordinated sites: Surface atoms with fewer nearest neighbours that are preferentially attacked during corrosion.

Anisotropic etching: Directionally dependent material removal that creates facet-specific pits and influences nanoparticle shape.

References

1. Top‐down Surfactant‐Free Synthesis of Supported Palladium‐Nanostructured Catalysts. Small Science (2024).
2. Cathodic Corrosion: 21st Century Insights into a 19th Century Phenomenon. Current Opinion in Electrochemistry (2021).
3. Cathodic Corrosion: A Quick, Clean, and Versatile Method for the Synthesis of Metallic Nanoparticles. Angewandte Chemie International Edition (2011).
4. Anisotropic etching of platinum electrodes at the onset of cathodic corrosion. Nature Communications (2016).
5. Local structure and composition of PtRh nanoparticles produced through cathodic corrosion. Physical Chemistry Chemical Physics (2017).
6. Electrochemical top-down synthesis of C-supported Pt nano-particles with controllable shape and size: Mechanistic insights and application. Nano Research (2020).