Self-Supported PtAuCu@Cu2O/Pt Hybrid Nanobranch as a Robust Electrocatalyst for the Oxygen Reduction Reaction

Three-dimensional self-supported metallic structures are attractive for their unique properties of high porosity, good flexibility, large surface area per unit volume, and open-pore structure, which promote their broad application in fuel cells. Here, for the first time, a self-supported PtAuCu alloy and Pt supported over Cu2O, as two effective independent strategies, are combined into a single system, which leads to an enhanced electrochemical performance for the oxygen reduction reaction as compared to the commercial Pt/C. After cyclic voltammetry for 2000 cycles between 0.03 and 1.40 V, PtAuCu@Cu2O/Pt maintains high activity, whereas Pt/C shows a half-wave potential loss of around 20 mV. This work provides an effective strategy for rational design of highly active and stable catalysts for fuel cell applications and beyond.