Facile fabrication of PdRuPt nanowire networks with tunable compositions as efficient methanol electrooxidation catalysts

The preparation of nanomaterials with superior catalytic properties through simple and rapid protocols is a task of great importance. In the present study, we demonstrate the direct synthesis of trimetallic PdRuPt nanowire networks through the reduction of the corresponding metal precursors with NaBH₄, in the presence of KBr and polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP). The elemental composition of the final products could be easily tuned by varying the added amounts of metal precursors. The obtained nanomaterials were then used as catalysts for methanol electrooxidation in an acidic medium. Among the synthesized PdRuPt and PtPd nanowire networks, Pd_0.97Ru_0.44Pt exhibits the highest catalytic activity and durability, along with a specific activity 3.5 times higher than that of commercial Pt/C. The enhanced catalytic properties of the present nanowiresystems are attributed to their unique structures and the introduction of Ru into PtPd nanocrystals with outstanding properties.