Aqueous Synthesis of Au₁₀Pt₁ Nanorods Decorated with MnO₂ Nanosheets for the Enhanced Electrocatalytic Oxidation of Methanol

Developing novel catalysts with high activity and high stability for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR) is of great importance for the ever-broader applications of methanol fuel cells. Herein, we present a facile technique for synthesizing Au₁₀Pt₁@MnO₂ catalysts using a wet chemical method and investigate their catalytic performance for the MOR. Notably, the Au₁₀Pt₁@MnO₂-M composite demonstrated a significantly high peak mass activity of 15.52 A mg(Pt)⁻¹, which is 35.3, 57.5, and 21.9 times greater than those of the Pt/C (0.44 A mg(Pt)⁻¹), Pd/C (0.27 A mg(Pt)⁻¹), and Au₁₀Pt₁ (0.71 A mg(Pt)⁻¹) catalysts, respectively. Comparative analysis with commercial Pt/C and Pd/C catalysts, as well as Au₁₀Pt₁ HSNRs, revealed that the Au₁₀Pt₁@MnO₂-M composite exhibited the lowest initial potential, the highest peak current density, and superior CO anti-poisoning capability. The results demonstrate that the introduction of MnO₂ nanosheets, with excellent oxidation capability, not only significantly increases the reactive sites, but also promotes the reaction kinetics of the catalyst. Furthermore, the high surface area of the MnO₂ nanosheets facilitates charge transfer and induces modifications in the electronic structure of the composite. This research provides a straightforward and effective strategy for the design of efficient electrocatalytic nanostructures for MOR applications.