Sub‐Monolayer YO<i>_x</i>/MoO<i>_x</i> on Ultrathin Pt Nanowires Boosts Alcohol Oxidation Electrocatalysis

A crucial issue restricting the application of direct alcohol fuel cells (DAFCs) is the low activity of Pt-based electrocatalysts for alcohol oxidation reaction caused by the reaction intermediate (CO*) poisoning. Herein, a new strategy is demonstrated for making a class of sub-monolayer YO_x /MoO_x -surface co-decorated ultrathin platinum nanowires (YO_x /MoO_x -Pt NWs) to effectively eliminate the CO poisoning for enhancing methanol oxidation electrocatalysis. By adjusting the amounts of YO_x and MoO_x decorated on the surface of ultrathin Pt NWs, the optimized 22% YO_x /MoO_x -Pt NWs achieve a high specific activity of 3.35 mA cm^-2 and a mass activity of 2.10 A mg_Pt ^-1 , as well as the enhanced stability. In situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy and CO stripping studies confirm the contribution of YO_x and MoO_x to anti-CO poisoning ability of the NWs. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations further reveal that the surface Y and Mo atoms with oxidation states allow COOH* to bind the surface through both the carbon and oxygen atoms, which can lower the free energy barriers for the oxidation of CO* into COOH*. The optimal NWs also show the superior activities toward the electro-oxidation of ethanol, ethylene glycol, and glycerol.