Recent development of Au arched Pt nanomaterials as promising electrocatalysts for methanol oxidation reaction

The recent development of Aurum (Au) introduced Platinum (Pt) based nanomaterials is of great significance to direct methanol fuel cell as electrocatalysts for anode reactions, due to its stability and anti-poisoning features. Therefore, the performance of PtAu based catalysts with different elements, atomic ratio, and morphology was studied in methanol solution to further improve its electrocatalytic activity. Furthermore, the effects of Au have aroused the researchers' attention in Pt-based nanocatalysts. In this review, we summarize the controllable synthesis, mechanism, and catalytic performance of Au introduced Pt-based electrocatalysts such as PtAu core-shell nanostructures, PtAu dendrite, PtAu nanowires, self-supporting Au@Pt NPs, and Au@Pt star-like nanocrystals for the methanol oxidation reaction. Finally, the challenges and research directions for the future development of PtAu based catalysts are provided.