One-step synthesis of ultrathin PtxPb nerve-like nanowires as robust catalysts for enhanced methanol electrooxidation.

Ultrathin PtxPb nerve-like nanowires (NNWs) with a diameter of only around 3.6 nm were synthesized by a one-step wet-chemical strategy, and they served as robust catalysts for greatly enhancing methanol electrooxidation both under acidic and alkaline conditions. Due to the high CO-poisoning tolerance, superior electrocatalytic activity and stability endowed by the Pt-Pb alloyed composition and the unique structure, the Pt3.5Pb NNWs showed the highest specific activity of 2.78 mA cm-2 in acidic media and 6.51 mA cm-2 in alkaline media toward the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR), which are 5.24 and 4.12 times higher than those of the commercial Pt/C catalysts, respectively. Meanwhile, the demonstrated synthetic strategy for Pt-Pb nanocrystals may stimulate more inspiration and strategies of the novel metal-based nanocrystals for promising applications in electrocatalysis.