Electrocatalytic Properties of Bimetallic Nanocatalysts

Bimetallic nanocatalysts combine two metallic elements at the nanoscale to exploit synergistic effects in electrocatalytic processes. By precisely tuning composition, morphology and interfacial structure, these materials can exhibit enhanced activity, selectivity and stability compared with monometallic counterparts. Key mechanisms include electronic modulation of surface adsorption energies, strain‐induced alterations in binding strengths and the creation of high‐index or defect‐rich facets. Core–shell architectures and alloyed frameworks offer distinct pathways to control surface composition and atomic arrangement. In core–shell nanoparticles, a thin overlayer of a noble metal can be supported by a more abundant metal core, reducing precious‐metal usage while retaining high catalytic performance. Conversely, full alloys can present uniform active sites, often with optimal electronic structures for target reactions. Applications span fuel cells, electrolytic hydrogen production and electrochemical conversion of small molecules such as oxygen, methanol and formic acid. Advances in high‐resolution imaging and in‐situ characterisation have begun to elucidate the atomic origins of activity and degradation, guiding rational design of the next generation of electrocatalysts.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have resolved the three‐dimensional atomic structure of palladium–platinum core–shell nanoparticles with single-atom precision, revealing an atomically diffuse interface rather than a sharp boundary. This diffuse region, a few angstroms thick, arises from interdiffusion of Pd seeds during galvanic growth and influences charge distribution and binding properties at the surface. Parallel work on palladium–platinum icosahedral core–shell nanocrystals has demonstrated that controlled deposition of ultrathin platinum shells on facet-engineered palladium cores can achieve up to eightfold enhancement in oxygen reduction activity and maintain superior durability over thousands of potential cycles. The combination of twin‐boundary confinement and compressive strain in these icosahedra weakens hydroxyl binding on the platinum surface, thereby boosting catalytic turnover and prolonging operational life under acidic conditions.

Electrocatalytic Properties of Bimetallic Nanocatalysts publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in electrocatalytic properties of bimetallic nanocatalysts across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Electrocatalysis: Acceleration of electrochemical reactions at electrode surfaces by specialised catalysts.

Bimetallic nanocatalyst: Nanoscale catalyst composed of two distinct metals, designed to harness synergistic electronic and geometric effects.

Core–shell structure: Nanoparticle architecture in which one metal forms an inner core and a second metal forms an outer shell layer.

Galvanic replacement: Redox process in which a less noble metal in a template is replaced by a more noble metal from solution, forming hollow or alloyed structures.

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR): Key cathodic process in fuel cells involving the reduction of O₂ to water or hydroxide.

Mass activity: Catalytic current generated per unit mass of precious metal, indicating efficiency of material usage.

Specific activity: Catalytic current per unit electrochemically active surface area, reflecting intrinsic surface reactivity.

References

1. Probing the atomically diffuse interfaces in Pd@Pt core-shell nanoparticles in three dimensions. Nature Communications (2023).
2. Palladium–platinum core-shell icosahedra with substantially enhanced activity and durability towards oxygen reduction. Nature Communications (2015).
3. Construction of dendritic Pt–Pd bimetallic nanotubular heterostructure for advanced oxygen reduction. Interdisciplinary Materials (2024).
4. Highly Active and Stable Pt–Pd Alloy Catalysts Synthesized by Room‐Temperature Electron Reduction for Oxygen Reduction Reaction. Advanced Science (2017).
5. Synthesis of ultrathin platinum nanoplates for enhanced oxygen reduction activity. Chemical Science (2018).