Creating Favorable Pt/Co Interfaces via a Two‐Step Approach for Constructing Highly Durable PtCo Intermetallic Fuel Cell Catalysts

Liang, Jiashun; Yu, Haoran; Zachman, Michael J.; Hwang, Sooyeon; Qi, Manman; Zeng, Yachao; Zhang, Bingzhang; Li, Jialu; Guo, Jinghua; Dun, Chaochao; Macauley, Natalia; Wu, Gang

doi:10.1002/adma.202510847

Creating Favorable Pt/Co Interfaces via a Two‐Step Approach for Constructing Highly Durable PtCo Intermetallic Fuel Cell Catalysts

Journal Article · Sat Aug 23 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Advanced Materials

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1002/adma.202510847· OSTI ID:2588532

Liang, Jiashun ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[2]; ^[3]; Qi, Manman ^[4]; Zeng, Yachao ^[4]; Zhang, Bingzhang ^[1]; Li, Jialu ^[5]; Guo, Jinghua ^[5]; Dun, Chaochao ^[6]; Macauley, Natalia ^[7]; ^[8]

Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States). Center for Nanophase Materials Sciences (CNMS)
Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States). Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)
State Univ. of New York at Buffalo, NY (United States)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Advanced Light Source (ALS)
Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL), Berkeley, CA (United States). Molecular Foundry
Giner Inc., Newton, MA (United States)
Washington Univ., St. Louis, MO (United States); State Univ. of New York at Buffalo, NY (United States)

Structurally ordered PtCo intermetallics are one of the most promising oxygen-reduction catalysts in proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs) due to their intrinsically improved catalytic activity and stability relative to PtCo solid-solution alloys. However, increasing the heating temperature to achieve a desirable high degree of ordering results in severe particle agglomeration and low mass activity and stability. Herein, a two-step synthesis approach is developed to create an L1₂-Pt₃Co intermetallic structure with an increased ordering degree and well-dispersed ultrafine particles. The first step of the synthesis yields ultrafine Pt nanoparticles that are well-dispersed on the ZIF-8-derived carbon support. The second adsorption step enables us to fine-tune the Pt and Co interfaces, assisted by optimal amino acids, to establish a favorable Co-rich environment around fine Pt nanoparticles, facilitating Co diffusion into the Pt crystalline under mild thermal conditions (<800 °C). In conclusion, this two-step ordered L1₂-Pt₃Co catalyst is systematically evaluated using membrane electrode assemblies under heavy-duty vehicle (HDV) conditions and demonstrated exceptional performance and durability, retaining 1.35 A cm^-2 only a 7% loss in current density at 0.7 V after an extensive accelerated stress test of 150,000 voltage cycles.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), Upton, NY (United States); Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Office of Sustainable Transportation. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office (HFTO); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Office of SBIR/STTR Programs (SBIR/STTR)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-05CH11231; AC05-00OR22725; SC0012704; SC0021671

OSTI ID:: 2588532

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2586819

Report Number(s):: BNL--228936-2025-JAAM

Journal Information:: Advanced Materials, Journal Name: Advanced Materials Journal Issue: 7 Vol. 38; ISSN 1521-4095; ISSN 0935-9648

Publisher:: WileyCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

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