Surface Charge Polarization at the Interface: Enhancing the Oxygen Reduction via Precise Synthesis of Heterogeneous Ultrathin Pt/PtTe Nanowire

Heterointerface tailoring is of importance for the catalytic activity enhancement of nanomaterials in various reactions owing to the charge polarization at the interface. We report an accurate manipulation of a replacement reaction for Pt/PtTe heteronanowire and PtTe homonanowire fabrication. Their geometric structures are controlled by using the aged K2PtCl4 in ethylene glycol (EG) as Pt precursors with self-tuned coordination state and structure. The aging process enables the slow conversion of PtCl42– to linear structured PtmCln leading to their tunable oxidation ability. The Pt–Pt bond formation during aging has been revealed by time-resolved in situ UV–vis and X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS) spectroscopies. The coexistence of a highly active Te template, PtCl42– ions, and linear structured PtmCln complexes allows Pt nanoparticles (NPs) to grow in situ on the PtTe nanowires (NWs), forming a controllable interface structure that served as catalytic active sites and charge transfer location. In c...