Transient assembly of precision-tuned platinum-skin intermetallic catalysts for fuel cells.

Authors

Jia Ding, Tao Zhang, Wanqing Song, Zezhou Li, Xin Wang, Xinyi Yang, Jiahui Feng, Ming Wen, Yanan Chen, Zhong Wu, Jihan Zhou, Bin Liu, Wenbin Hu

Published in

Science (New York, N.Y.). Volume 393. Issue 6807. Pages 178-183. Jul 09, 2026. Epub Jul 09, 2026.

Abstract

Highly efficient catalysts require precisely engineered intricate structures, yet conventional thermodynamically controlled syntheses often involve cumbersome procedures and limited structural precision. We report a nonequilibrium transient assembly strategy for the ultrafast synthesis of intricately structured nanocatalysts, including core-shell platinum (Pt)-skinned intermetallic nanocrystals exemplified by Pt@PtFe-i. By using a periodic thermal-pulse protocol to drive the continuous evolution of high-energy transient PtFe configurations, we achieved the synchronous assembly of a high-order PtFe intermetallic core and an atomic-layer-precise Pt skin. The Pt@PtFe-i catalyst exhibits coordination-dependent compressive strain within the Pt skin, creating a high density of highly active sites for the oxygen reduction reaction. The H₂-air fuel cell with Pt@PtFe-i delivers a peak power of 1.25 watts per square centimeter at a cathode Pt loading of 0.1 milligrams per square centimeter, with a small peak power loss of 3.2% after 30,000 accelerated durability testing cycles.

PMID:
42424468
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 10 Jul 2026.

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