Effects of Electrochemical Activation Methods on the Restructuring and Oxygen Reduction Performance of PtNix “Core–Shell” Carbon‐Nitride/Carbon Supported Electrocatalysts
- 1“Section of Chemistry for Technologies”, Department of Industrial Engineering University of Padova Padova Italy
- 2CNR‐ICMATE Padova Italy
- 3Faculty of Chemistry University of Warsaw Warsaw Poland
Abstract
This work presents hierarchical PtNi10‐CNl 900/Hd electrocatalysts (ECs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), where “l” denotes low N (<5 wt%), “900” the final pyrolysis temperature in °C, and “Hd” the 1:1 Gr/C support. Their “core–shell” architecture combines defective graphene nanoplatelets (Gr) and Vulcan XC‐72R carbon black (C), exploiting complementary functions, with a carbon nitride (CN) “shell” coordinating PtNix active sites. The common precursor P derives from a 3D‐crosslinked zeolitic inorganic‐organic polymer electrolyte (Z‐IOPE) embedding the nanocomposite carbon “core” and contains Ni‐rich, sub‐micrometric PtNi10 domains. A flow‐through electrochemical setup activates P through reversible‐potential‐sweep (RS), constant‐potential (CP), and constant‐current (CC) methods. These elementary profiles are investigated as modular building blocks for specific EC systems. The recovered powders undergo extensive conventional physicochemical characterization and are incorporated into membrane‐electrode assemblies (MEAs) using conventional procedures. “Ex ‐situ” analyses demonstrate extensive Ni removal and restructuring toward Pt‐rich nanostructures, while rotating ring–disk electrode (RRDE) measurements reveal markedly higher ORR activity than Pt/C. Single‐cell proton‐exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) testing reveals method‐dependent differences under transport‐sensitive high‐current conditions. CP provides the most favorable overall compromise and remains the most promising building block for custom, potentially scalable activation methods.
Related
- MXene‐Based Electrocatalysts for Sustainable Nitrogen Conversion: From Ammonia Oxidation to Nitrogen and Nitrate Reduction
- Interfacial Effects on the Catalytic Performance of Water-Splitting Electrocatalysts
- Controlling metastability through annealing of high-entropy nanoalloy electrocatalysts to boost performance towards the oxygen evolution reaction
- Recent Progress in NiFe-LDH Electrocatalysts: Synthesis, Mechanisms, and Performance in the Oxygen Evolution Reaction
- Washing order rather than ethanol concentration governs protein restructuring, porosity and emulsifying performance of defatted soybean meal particles
BibTeX
@article{negro2026effects,
title = {{Effects of Electrochemical Activation Methods on the Restructuring and Oxygen Reduction Performance of PtNix “Core–Shell” Carbon‐Nitride/Carbon Supported Electrocatalysts}},
author = {Enrico Negro and Angeloclaudio Nale and Gioele Pagot and Giuseppe Pace and Pawel J. Kulesza and Iwona A. Rutkowska and Vito Di Noto},
journal = {ChemElectroChem},
year = {2026},
month = nov,
doi = {10.1002/celc.70338},
url = {https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.70338},
note = {CC BY},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Effects of Electrochemical Activation Methods on the Restructuring and Oxygen Reduction Performance of PtNix “Core–Shell” Carbon‐Nitride/Carbon Supported Electrocatalysts
AU - Enrico Negro
AU - Angeloclaudio Nale
AU - Gioele Pagot
AU - Giuseppe Pace
AU - Pawel J. Kulesza
AU - Iwona A. Rutkowska
AU - Vito Di Noto
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/11/06
JO - ChemElectroChem
DO - 10.1002/celc.70338
UR - https://doi.org/10.1002/celc.70338
AB - This work presents hierarchical PtNi10‐CNl 900/Hd electrocatalysts (ECs) for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), where “l” denotes low N (<5 wt%), “900” the final pyrolysis temperature in °C, and “Hd” the 1:1 Gr/C support. Their “core–shell” architecture combines defective graphene nanoplatelets (Gr) and Vulcan XC‐72R carbon black (C), exploiting complementary functions, with a carbon nitride (CN) “shell” coordinating PtNix active sites. The common precursor P derives from a 3D‐crosslinked zeolitic inorganic‐organic polymer electrolyte (Z‐IOPE) embedding the nanocomposite carbon “core” and contains Ni‐rich, sub‐micrometric PtNi10 domains. A flow‐through electrochemical setup activates P through reversible‐potential‐sweep (RS), constant‐potential (CP), and constant‐current (CC) methods. These elementary profiles are investigated as modular building blocks for specific EC systems. The recovered powders undergo extensive conventional physicochemical characterization and are incorporated into membrane‐electrode assemblies (MEAs) using conventional procedures. “Ex ‐situ” analyses demonstrate extensive Ni removal and restructuring toward Pt‐rich nanostructures, while rotating ring–disk electrode (RRDE) measurements reveal markedly higher ORR activity than Pt/C. Single‐cell proton‐exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) testing reveals method‐dependent differences under transport‐sensitive high‐current conditions. CP provides the most favorable overall compromise and remains the most promising building block for custom, potentially scalable activation methods.
SN - 2196-0216
ER -