Maximize the Electrocatalytic Activity of Pt Toward Ethanol Oxidation via Engineering PdPt <sub>1</sub> Single‐Atom Alloy Skin

W Wen Chen (Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital) L Lei Xie Y Yong Li S Shuiping Luo (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University 2 , Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055,) X Xinyi Cai (Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering) T Tangting Li (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong P. R. China) J Junhao Qiu Z Zhichao Yang Z Zhihan Yuan (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong P. R. China) S Shao‐Qing Liu (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 China) X Xian‐Zhu Fu (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China) J Jing‐Li Luo (Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China)

Abstract

ABSTRACT Single‐atom alloys (SAAs) emerge as an intriguing model system for electrocatalysis by combining the advantages of single‐atom catalysts and nanoalloys, yet it faces the challenge in engineering their surface structure at the atomic level. Herein, to fully utilize active Pt sites to boost ethanol oxidation electrocatalysis, single‐Pt‐atoms anchored onto the surface of intermetallic Pd 5 Bi 3 core‐ultrathin Pd shell octahedrons, namely a tensile‐strained PdPt 1 SAA skin, were rationally designed and engineered. This unique PdPt 1 SAA skin achieves a record‐high mass activity (553.58 A mg Pt −1 or 34.73 A mg Pt+Pd −1 ) and outstanding durability toward ethanol oxidation in alkaline electrolyte, outperforming the current high‐performance electrocatalysts. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the isolated‐Pt‐atoms effectively enhance the adsorption of ethanol, accelerate the C2 pathway, and enhance the C‐C bond cleavage of the *CH 2 CO intermediate. The wet‐chemical fabrication of SAA skin opens up a general strategy to construct model surface that completely exposes and stabilizes active atoms, facilitating the development of highly efficient electrocatalysts.

Article Details

Volume / Issue Vol. 38, Issue 11
Published February 01, 2026
ISSN 0935-9648
Publisher Unknown Publisher

Journal Info

Advanced Materials

Unknown Publisher

ISSN: 0935-9648 Physical Sciences

Authors (12)

W

Wen Chen

Department of Immunology, St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

L

Lei Xie

Y

Yong Li

S

Shuiping Luo

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University 2 , Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055,

X

Xinyi Cai

Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences, College of Chemistry and Molecular Engineering

T

Tangting Li

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong P. R. China

J

Junhao Qiu

Z

Zhichao Yang

Z

Zhihan Yuan

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong P. R. China

S

Shao‐Qing Liu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials, Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering Shenzhen University Shenzhen 518060 China

X

Xian‐Zhu Fu

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China

J

Jing‐Li Luo

Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Energy Electrocatalytic Materials Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of New Energy Materials Service Safety College of Materials Science and Engineering, Shenzhen University Shenzhen Guangdong China