Platinum-based catalysts are the heart of eco-friendly fuel cells, yet their astronomical cost remains a major barrier to mass adoption. Now, researchers from Southern Federal University, alongside colleagues from Skoltech, the Institute of Catalysis of the Siberian Branch of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and Bauman Moscow State Technical University, have found a compelling solution.
The team engineered a multi-component alloy combining platinum with palladium, copper, nickel, and cobalt to form compact, accessible nanoparticles. By leveraging computer simulations, researchers uncovered how to precisely control atom distribution during heat treatment: heating the material to 600°C drives roughly 75% of the platinum atoms straight to the outer surface of the nanoparticle.
"Combining experiments with computer simulations helped us understand exactly how atoms of different metals redistribute within nanoparticles when heated. We showed that this process can be controlled to produce materials with tailored properties. This is an important step toward more affordable and longer-lasting fuel cells," comments Ilya Chepkasov, Senior Research Scientist at the Skoltech Materials Center and co-author of the study.
The resulting material demonstrates exceptional resilience. After 10,000 operating cycles, it loses a mere 22% of its activity (compared to a steep 40% drop in commercial alternatives) and proves four times more active overall than standard benchmarks.
The findings are published in the Journal of Alloys and Compounds, supported by the Russian Science Foundation.
Skoltech is part of the VEB.RF Group.