Support Shape Effect on the Catalytic Performance of Pt/CeO2 Nanostructures for Methanol Electrooxidation

Abstract Polyhedral, cubic, and rod-like CeO 2 nanostructures have been selectively synthesized and used as supports for Pt nanoparticles. The structures of Pt/CeO 2 , specially the exposed crystallographic facets of different CeO 2 nanosupports, have been investigated by electron microscopy. A shape change induced variation of the exposed facets on CeO 2 surface has been confirmed. In methanol electrooxidation, Pt/CeO 2 particles have been found to acquire a generally improved and, more importantly, support-shape-dependent electrocatalytic activity. Pt nanoparticles earn the best activity on CeO 2 nanorods while they gain the poorest activity on CeO 2 nanopolyhedra. The result, indeed, reveals a fact that the {110} and {100} over {111} planes on ceria surface possess a superiority in improving the electrocatalytic performance of their supported Pt nanoparticles.