One-step sonochemical syntheses of Ni@Pt core-shell nanoparticles with controlled shape and shell thickness for fuel cell electrocatalyst

We demonstrate a facile one-step method to synthesize Ni@Pt core-shell nanoparticles (NPs) with a control over the shape and the Pt-shell thickness of the NPs. By adjusting the relative reactivity of the Pt and Ni reagents in ultrasound-assisted polyol reactions, two Ni@Pt NP samples of the same composition (Ni/Pt = 1) and size (3-4 nm) but with different particle shape (octahedral vs. truncated octahedral) and different Pt-shell thicknesses (1-2 vs. 2-3 monolayer) are obtained. The control is achieved by using different Ni reagents, Ni(acac)₂ (acac = acetylacetonate) and Ni(hfac)₂ (hfac = hexafluoroacetylacetonate). A reaction mechanism that can explain all of the observations is proposed. The Ni@Pt NPs show up to threefold higher mass activity than pure Pt NPs in oxygen reduction reaction. Between the two Ni@Pt NP samples, the one composed of octahedral NPs with the thicker Pt-shell has higher activity than the other.